


Tale of Tears

by DwaejiTokki



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Gen, character past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 16:48:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4572129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DwaejiTokki/pseuds/DwaejiTokki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new villain has a device with the power to trap people into another's mind as their memories play out like a movie. He's after Robin's memories, trying to discover his secret identity. But a certain green changeling puts himself in the path of danger to protect his friend, much to the villain's dismay. Beast Boy's untold past is revealed, and his friends gain a very new perspective on the smallest Titan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Villain

**Author's Note:**

> Rated M for rather graphic violence, death, gore, torture, rape, and feels. And maybe a few swears.

Chapter 1: A New Villain 

 

"I can't believe you let him get away!" growled Robin furiously. He pointed a finger at Beast Boy, who averted his eyes and clenched his jaw. "How could you be so stupid? The square root of nine! It's almost as easy as two plus two--but you probably don't even know the answer to that, either." 

 

"Robin." Starfire placed a hand on Robin's shoulder, but he shrugged her off. 

 

"Who do you think has to fix this mess now, Beast Boy?" he continued. "I do. I always have to get us out of messes you cause. Mumbo got away with millions of dollars because you couldn't answer a simple question." 

 

"I said I was sorry," Beast Boy mumbled. 

 

"C'mon, Rob," Cyborg butted in. "Yelling at B ain't getting us anywhere. Mumbo will come back. He always does." 

 

"That's not the point," Robin said briskly. "The point is that Beast Boy needs to start pulling his own weight on this team. He's the weakest out of all of us, not to mention the dumbest." 

 

"Robin!" cried Starfire. "That is hurtful and unnecessary!" 

 

Raven stayed silent throughout the argument, her hood pulled up to conceal her face. Beast Boy stood before Robin, an uncharacteristic look of stoicism on his face. 

 

"But it's true," Robin retorted. "And everyone here knows it." 

 

"I think you need to take a breath here, man," Cyborg said coldly. He folded his mechanical arms. "We'll get Mumbo next time. Beast Boy made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. Even you, traffic light." 

 

Robin turned from Beast Boy to yell at Cyborg. In a split second, a green bird darted out the open window of the common room and soared away. The boy wonder gaped for a second, then looked back to where Beast Boy had been standing to make sure he had really gone. Robin's scowl deepened. 

 

"For what it's worth," Raven finally said, "I think you're being too hard on him, boy blunder." Without waiting for his reply, she left the room and headed for her own to meditate. 

 

Cyborg glared at Robin, his human eye menacing. Starfire simply looked disappointed at Robin, and then worriedly glanced out the window. Robin huffed and rubbed his face with a gloved hand, wondering how he would explain this to the mayor. It wasn't that he meant what he said--he knew Beast Boy wasn't stupid. But that was exactly it. It was Beast Boy's attitude that frustrated him to no end. Robin knew he would have to find a way to apologize later. 

 

Suddenly, the danger siren wailed throughout the tower, accompanied by flashing red lights. Raven stopped at the door and turned back into the common room with an annoyed sigh while Robin and Cyborg went to the computer. 

 

"Who is it?" Raven asked. 

 

"Don't know," Robin said curtly. "Titans, go!" 

 

"What about Beast Boy?" reminded Starfire. 

 

"Forget about him right now. We can handle this one ourselves," Robin said. Then he sprinted off to the garage for his R-cycle. Cyborg and Starfire shared a glance, but complied. Raven and Starfire flew out the window as Cyborg made his way after Robin. 

 

+-+-+-+ 

 

In a matter of minutes, the Titans minus Beast Boy arrived at a warehouse on the outskirts of Jump City. The district seemed abandoned despite broad daylight. The air was heavy with silence. Robin whispered for his team to stay on their toes; they didn't know who the villain was or what he could do. 

 

A crashing sound was heard inside the warehouse at the end of the block. The team immediately pursued it. Cyborg kicked the door open and Robin entered, followed by the others. 

 

"Freeze!" he shouted. 

 

Everything was silent. The Titans narrowed their eyes and proceeded inside cautiously. The overhead lights buzzed on, illuminating stacks upon stacks of dusty boxes lining the walls of the huge room. The teens took their fighting stances as they saw a lone figure leaning casually against the far wall. 

 

"Who are you?" demanded Robin. 

 

The figure chuckled. "Ever impatient, teenagers are. They think they're so smart, so invincible. Well, that may be so, to some extent. But usually it's just...cockiness." 

 

The Titans scowled, but didn't reply. 

 

"Call me Mistricker." The man stepped into the light. He was dressed in civilians' clothing: a T-shirt and jeans, with a pair of worn running shoes. In his hand was a device similar to Warp's clock, but rather than a clock face there was a panel of buttons. Mistricker had a smirk on his face, but his sunglasses and plain baseball cap hid his identity. 

 

After a moment of scrutiny, Robin decided that the man wouldn't attack first, so he folded his arms and stood up straight. The others followed suit. 

 

"All right, Mistricker," Cyborg said. "What do you want? Why break into this warehouse?" 

 

"To summon you, of course," he laughed. "But we seem to be missing one? Oh well. I only need one of you, anyway. The rest I need to put out of commission." 

 

Robin frowned as Cyborg laughed. 

 

"You are going the down!" exclaimed Starfire. 

 

Raven interjected, "You don't seem like you have any powers." 

 

"I don't need powers, Rae-Rae." She scowled at the nickname. He continued, "You all have your weaknesses, and I have all my ingenuity. With a little grant from a higher-upper, I got everything I need. And after I get what I want, I'll have an even greater fortune." 

 

"And what are you after?" Robin asked. 

 

Mistricker grinned. "Your memories." He held up his device. "See, Robbie, this wonderful piece of machinery is able to read the electric impulses in your brain. If you program it to read certain neuron clusters, you can unlock long-term memories and play them like a movie. This is what I'm going to use on you. I've already pre-programmed it." 

 

The other three Titans stepped forward to stand by their leader protectively. 

 

"You'll have to go through us first," Cyborg growled menacingly. 

 

"Precisely what I plan to do." Mistricker's smile never faded. He was the epitome of self-confidence. 

 

The teens took their fighting stances once more. Mistricker simply pressed the center button on his device. For a few short seconds, nothing happened. Then Robin yelled and moved forward to attack. Mistricker did not flinch. 

 

The yelps of surprise behind him made him stop short and look over his shoulder. Cyborg, Starfire and Raven were on the floor, all covered in a black tar. They struggled, but could not pull themselves out of their sticky prison. Raven's mouth was sealed shut by a layer of the goo, and Starfire's starbolts did no good. Cyborg was stuck flat on his back, arms and legs held fast. 

 

Robin turned back to Mistricker with bared teeth. He pulled his extendable Bo staff from his utility belt and sprinted at the villain. But before he could take a step, he fell onto his stomach with a grunt. He looked at his feet in shock. He hadn't even noticed the coils of cables winding around his legs. As he struggled, more cables snaked up out of the floor and wrapped around him, completely immobilizing him. 

 

"That wasn't too hard, now was it?" Mistricker taunted as he approached Robin. "Now, this shouldn't hurt a bit." 

 

Mistricker was suddenly blindsided by a green ram, sending him sprawling across the room. The device clattered a few feet away from him, and Beast Boy lunged for it. But the villain reached it first and pressed a button. Beast Boy narrowly avoided being caught in the black goo by morphing into a fly. 

 

"Where have you been hiding, little Beastie?" smirked Mistricker in a tone that suggested he was pleasantly surprised. 

 

Beast Boy appeared next to Robin with a smirk of his own. "I may or may not have been a fly on the wall." He knelt down and tried to pry one of the cables off of his leader. When that didn't work, he turned into a gorilla and snapped it. Then he moved to the next one, freeing one of Robin's arms. 

 

"Yo BB! Look out!" shouted Cyborg from across the room. 

 

Beast Boy raised his head just in time to change back into a human, effectively dodging a flying projectile. Mistricker was on him in an instant, using a powerful kick to knock him back. 

 

"Did you really think you could take me on? I've already taken out all four of your friends, Beastie," Mistricker said harshly. He was no longer smiling. Another button was pushed, and the cables that Beast Boy had broken were replaced. Robin was rendered useless once more. 

 

Beast Boy pushed himself up, still feeling the effects of the kick. He was sure his ribs were bruised. He glared at Mistricker. 

 

"Dude, I can take you on any day." He sounded much more sure than he felt. Beast Boy took a few steps to the side, trying to find an opening or a weakness. Despite the man's relaxed appearance, it was obvious that he was prepared for any attack. 

 

The Titan eyed the device in Mistricker's hand. The villain smirked. "Would you like to see what it can do? We'll try it on Robbie here." Mistricker pointed the device towards Robin and placed his thumb on the upper button. Beast Boy snarled and lunged forward, throwing himself between the boy wonder and danger. 

 

There was a blinding flash of light. 

 

The Titans suddenly found themselves free from their bindings and leapt to their feet. They wheeled on Mistricker, who had a very deep scowl on his face. Robin punched him, but was blocked easily and tossed aside. 

 

Cyborg shot his laser cannon as Starfire aimed starbolts at him, but he cartwheeled out of the way effortlessly. Raven trapped him in a magical binding. He merely looked at her, then at the other three. 

 

"Any of you happen to realize where we are?" he asked pointedly. 

 

The teens hesitated, then looked around. They were shocked to find themselves in a jungle. Animals called and chattered above him, and the bright blue sky was nearly obscured by the thick green canopy of the trees. A strong smell of fertile land and exotic plants hung in the air. 

 

"Any of you happen to realize that one of you is missing?" 

 

Raven frowned. "Beast Boy...These are his memories?" 

 

"Unfortunately," nodded Mistricker. "He got in the way." He turned to Robin. "We should have been in your mind." 

 

Cyborg looked around. "If these are BB's memories, then where is he?" 

 

"You mean the present or past him?" Mistricker asked in a bored tone. "The present Beastie is still in the warehouse, most likely unconscious, as we are. The past him, however, should be around him somewhere. We can't see something he's never seen." 

 

Starfire looked around, hoping to see him. 

 

"My dear Rae-Rae--" 

 

"Don't call me that," she said. 

 

"--you can release me now. We are simply unconscious projections of ourselves, not the real things. You couldn't harm me if you tried. Until we reach the end of Beastie's memories, we will be asleep. So we may as well call a truce and enjoy the show." 

 

Raven looked to Robin, who nodded curtly. She drew back and her arm disappeared into her blue robe. Mistricker smirked. 

 

They all turned toward the sound of rustling leaves. A child entered the clearing, holding a small pair of binoculars. 

 

"Looks like the show's starting."


	2. Origins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains different languages. Glossary at end of chapter.

Chapter 2: Origins 

 

A child entered the clearing with a small pair of binoculars in hand. The boy was about eight years old, and had short brown hair with a few twigs and leaves tangled in it. His bright blue eyes shone with curiosity, and his tan cheeks were flushed red from the stifling heat. He wore a yellow, long-sleeved tunic with red and green designs, and a pair of yellow pants to match. The boy's feet were clad in leather sandals. 

 

The Titans stared intently at him. 

 

"Is that...Beast Boy?" frowned Cyborg. 

 

The boy raised the binoculars to his eyes and peered up at the trees. Then he turned and whispered something with an ushering motion. Another smaller boy, this one around four years old, appeared through the bushes. He had wavy blonde hair that he brushed back from familiar green eyes. His tanned skin was also flushed, and he wore an African garb similar to the older boy's. His was orange with blue and yellow decorations. 

 

"Rosie," said the smaller boy loudly, "deixe-me olha!" 

 

"Shh!" the older boy hissed and put a hand over the child's mouth. He put the binoculars to his brother's eyes and pointed up at the trees. "Macaco." 

 

The teens frowned. 

 

"Please, what are the children saying?" Starfire asked. 

 

Raven said, "They're speaking a language I've never heard." 

 

"Sounds like Spanish, if you ask me," Cyborg said. 

 

Mistricker scoffed. 

 

The Titans turned to glare at him. 

 

He ignored them and watched the boys. "They're speaking Portuguese. Brazilian Portuguese, to be exact." Mistricker looked around. "They must be traveling with their parents. This certainly isn't Brazil. By the way they're dressed, I'd say we're somewhere in Africa." 

 

A woman's voice called in the distance: "Garfield! Roosevelt!" 

 

Both boys turned toward their mother's voice. 

 

"Estamos chegando, mamãe," called the older boy. 

 

"Mamãe, macaco! Macaco! Papai!" squealed the blonde child, running back the way he'd come. 

 

"Garfield, espere por mim." The boy tucked the binoculars into a small shoulder bag and ran after him. 

 

Suddenly the scenery changed. It really was as though the Titans were watching a movie, and the camera was trained on little Garfield. Beast Boy's friends were rather shocked. They had simply assumed that the changeling had always been green. 

 

The boys looked enough alike that the group knew they were brothers. They had the same facial structure and build, and the same twinkle in their eyes. Roosevelt caught up with and quickly passed Garfield to take the lead. They were walking on a small hunting trail that was nearly overgrown with tall, fragrant grasses. The end of the trail was visible ahead, opening up into another clearing, where a large tent was set up. 

 

"Macaco, macaco," Garfield was chanting under his breath. 

 

Croak. 

 

Garfield stopped in his tracks and looked down. Roosevelt continued on obliviously. 

 

A fat Congo toad hopped across the path and into the trees. Delighted, Garfield followed it. "Sapo!" He mimicked the toad by squatting and hopping after it. The boy and his new friend disappeared into the trees. 

 

After a few hops, he became bored of his game and stood up. When he turned around, he realized that he had lost the trail. But he wasn't scared. He was used to the jungle. Garfield turned around and saw a group of monkeys swinging in the branches above him. 

 

"Macaco!" he squealed, throwing his arms up. 

 

The startled monkeys chattered and scurried away. Only one remained, but this monkey was different from the others. It was green, and had much larger teeth. Garfield didn't seem to think strangely of it. He approached it with a broad grin. The green monkey studied the child, then clambered down from its perch to greet him. The two joined hands, much to Gar's excitement. 

 

Cyborg and Robin shifted uneasily while Starfire seemed as delighted at the past Beast Boy. A sense of dread filled them. It was usually accustomed with the feeling of danger. 

 

Garfield's head turned to look over his shoulder at the sound of his parents' calls. He took a breath to reply, but what came out was a shriek of surprised pain. The monkey attacked him, biting into his left shoulder with its razor-sharp teeth. 

 

Starfire gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Robin and Cyborg winced, while Raven remained as emotionless as ever. Mistricker looked on silently, but was obviously morbidly interested in the happenings. 

 

Seconds later, a tall man with the same blonde hair as Garfield burst into the clearing. The monkey unlatched its jaw from the wailing child and screeched at him. Gar's father raised his gun and expertly pulled the trigger. The viridian creature yelped and ran off, but didn't get far. It fell over, the tranquilizer having drained into its system. 

 

"Garfield!" cried a woman. She pushed past her husband and scooped up her child, who was clutching his shoulder. "Você está mordido?! Mark!" She pried Gar's hand off of his wound to examine it. A string of words rapidly erupted from her mouth, but her despairing tone told the non-speakers all they needed to know: The situation was dire. 

 

Mark's words were equally fast and indistinguishable, but it was clear that he had told her to take him back to the camp. She picked up Gar and ran off, his blood already soaking the front of her khaki shirt. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and everything began to blur and darken. His mother's comforting voice was lost as everything went black. 

 

+-+-+-+ 

 

Several muffled voices reached them through the pitch black. A very deep voice, then a higher one, and another male's voice. The blackness grew lighter and lighter until a white room came into focus. Everything seemed surrealistically bright and colorful, but after a moment of unsteadiness, vision seemed returned to normal. 

 

Garfield's parents and brother were in the room, as well as a tall African man. The man was wearing a vibrant red robe and leather sandals. His neck and wrists were adorned with golden rings, beads, and braided cloth. He was speaking again in his deep voice, though the language was different again. "Mimi itachukua Rosie. Wewe kuja kwa ajili yake baada ya Gar ni bora zaidi." 

 

"Asante, wakuu Tawaba," said Mark. He looked down at Rosie, who was standing next the man. Rosie's eyes were rimmed red, and it was obvious he had been crying. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted. 

 

"Wewe ni ari, Gar," the African man, Tawaba, said as he noticed Garfield. 

 

Garfield blinked blearily at him before his parents rushed to him. They reverted back to Portuguese, comforting their son and telling him that everything would be all right--that's what the Titans assumed, anyway. The man and Rosie came forward and his parents stepped aside for them. A very large hand was gently placed on Gar's head, and the man smiled at him. The child smiled back weakly. 

 

Rosie put his hands on Garfield's flushed cheeks. "Eu volto mais tarde, hm?" he said. 

 

Gar nodded. His brother kissed him and then left with the African man. He looked back worriedly. 

 

"Marie," Mark said to his wife. "Você conforta enquanto eu continuar trabalhando." 

 

She nodded and sat down on the bed at Gar's side. Mark gave his son a broad grin and whispered something that made him giggle a little. Then he went back to a table near the wall. As he turned away from Gar his fell into a serious expression. Marie stroked Garfield's head and spoke quietly to him. Gar was slowly drifting off into sleep again due to the pain medication. His eyelids grew heavier with each blink, until he couldn't open them again. Marie's voice slowly faded. 

 

"His parents are scientists," Robin said aloud. 

 

"I thought his parents were Steve and Rita from the Doom Patrol," Cyborg said. "I mean, he calls Rita mom." 

 

"Guess he's adopted," Raven shrugged. 

 

They turned and glowered when Mistricker snickered. "You don't really know anything about each other, do you? No wonder your team isn't that good." 

 

"Titans, ignore him," Robin ordered, and they all turned away. 

 

The darkness lasted a few more seconds before murmuring voices could be heard. The voices sounded angry. They were arguing. The white lab room came into focus again, as well as Mark and Marie. 

 

Marie was holding Garfield protectively in her arms, apparently shielding him from her husband. Mark held a syringe full of a green serum, he looked exhausted and frustrated. Their words were fast, and neither were listening to the other. Marie was dead-set on not administering whatever was in the serum, while Mark appeared to be insisting on it. 

 

"Mamãe? Papai?" Garfield whimpered. 

 

Both cut off mid-sentence and gave their attention to their child. 

 

"Sim, querida?" Marie said as Mark whispered, "Estamos aqui, Gar." 

 

"Por que você está lutando?" he asked miserably. 

 

Marie and Mark locked eyes for a moment, looking a bit guilty. 

 

"Desculpe, Gar. Nós somos apenas...irritadiço," said Marie, stroking his hair. 

 

"Meu ombro dói," little Garfield cried. "Não me sinto bem..." 

 

"Eu sei. Nós estamos trabalhando nisso," Mark said. He looked down at the syringe in his hand, then looked sternly at Marie. A tear slipped down her cheek and she nodded once, finally conceding. Mark spoke lowly to Gar, but the words seemed a bit slurred. Gar was falling back into unconsciousness. 

 

Marie undid the bandages around her son's shoulder as Mark fiddled with the heart monitor to which Garfield was connected. The volume was turned up, and a pulse beeped throughout the room. Gar extended his arm to his father, who took it gently and lowered the needle to the crook of his elbow. The needle disappeared into his skin, and the boy winced. Once the serum had been injected, Mark pulled away and held a cotton wad over the tiny puncture. The desperate couple pulled Garfield into a tight hug, listening to the heart monitor. Marie began whispering a prayer, and was immediately joined by Mark. 

 

The monitor gave a long, continuous beep. 

 

Marie made a shuddering gasping noise and began to sob. Mark gaped at the flat line on the monitor, green eyes wide with angry despair. Then tears ran from his eyes as well, and he buried his face in his son's hair. 

 

Starfire was crying as well. 

 

"It's okay," Raven said in her monotonous tone. "We know he's still alive because he's Beast Boy..." 

 

"But still I am in need of the pudding of sadness," she replied with a sniffle. "He is just a child!" 

 

Robin moved to comfort the girl he loved, but his attention was torn away from her by an abrupt shriek. He looked back to see that Garfield's parents were just as shocked. 

 

Suddenly the heart monitor came back to life, rapidly beeping, and still escalating. 

 

Marie tightened her grip on him as Mark stood up and rushed to the medicine cabinet. He looked over his shoulder as Garfield screamed again, this time louder than before. His mother struggled to hold him down as he began to convulse, eyes rolled to the back of his head. Mark rummaged through the shelves, knocking things carelessly aside in his search. 

 

"Mark!" 

 

He turned and rushed back when he saw what was happening. 

 

Garfield's skin was turning green, spreading from his infected wound. And he was still screaming and jerking. Mark put his hands on either side of Gar's head to keep it still as Marie squeezed his little body in her arms. His wails turned to feral growls and snarls. His parents shared a horrified look. 

 

The boy's canine teeth elongated, and he twisted in an attempt to bite at his father's hands. Mark held on tighter, but Marie released him with a yelp of pain. Garfield had sunk his newly-formed claws into her arm, drawing blood. Gar's hair was now turning a deep forest green, and his eyes were wild, ferocious. 

 

Mark shouted something, and both he and Marie quickly backed away from their monstrous creation. Garfield continued to growl in the back of his throat, glaring at the adults. He was a cornered animal, and his fighting instincts had kicked in. 

 

Then he stopped suddenly and looked around at his surroundings. He seemed to recognize where he was and turned back to his parents with a fearful look. Gar pressed his hands over his now pointed ears, breathing hard. His little nostrils flared with each breath, taking in the smells that were familiar, but much stronger. 

 

"Mamãe? Papai?" his tears ran anew. "Estou com medo! Tudo é diferente. O que há de errado comigo?" 

 

Mark moved towards him and drew him into his arms. His eyes were still fearful and confused, but he was also relieved. He stroked Gar's hair and met Marie's eyes. She stepped forward hesitantly, then joined them on the bed. Mark wrapped his arms around her as well. They sat in silence, listening to their baby's cries and hiccoughs. 

 

The scene suddenly changed, and they were outside. 

 

"Definitely Africa," Mistricker remarked proudly. He was still being ignored. 

 

They were in a village near the jungle, judging by their surroundings. The small houses were made of sticks and mud, and roofed with thatched leaves and branches. All of the residents were clothed in bright robes and tunics. Most had leather sandals, but some went barefoot on the soft ground. They were all grouped together in the center of the village, sitting in a great circle around a large but empty fire pit. In the center of the circle stood a green Garfield and his family, all with somber expressions. 

 

Before them stood Tawaba, who was obviously the chief of the village, and another man. This man was considerably old, and was bedecked with animal skulls, beads, and paint. He was the only one with facial piercings, and carried a twisted wooden staff with two shrunken heads hanging from the tip. He was Mobu, the medicine man. 

 

Mobu appeared to be addressing the villagers, yelling in his reedy voice in kiSwahili. Robin and the others couldn't understand what was being said, but they were sure it was about Gar because he swung the staff in his direction several times. By the time his rant ended, he was breathing heavily and glaring at anyone who met his eyes. Most of the villagers were looking at the centered family or down at their own feet. Mobu turned to Tawaba when no one spoke. 

 

Tawaba looked back at him with an unreadable expression, then looked to his villagers. When still no one spoke, he spared another glance to the medicine man before approaching the Brazilian scientists. 

 

"Familia Logan," he said loudly so everyone could hear him. All attention was given to the chief's address. "Umetupa sana. Kwa kuwa sisi ni kushukuru." 

 

Several murmurs of agreement rippled through the circle. The Logans simply looked at Tawaba expectantly. 

 

"Lakini hapa una mtoto. Mtoto kuambukizwa na Sakutia," said Tawaba. 

 

Behind him, Mobu nodded vehemently. Mark's eyes shot daggers at the old man, but returned to Tawaba as he continued. 

 

"Gar lazima kuuawa, kwa mujibu wa sheria." 

 

"Tutaweza kuondoka," Mark and Marie said quickly in unison. They both moved protectively towards their children. Marie shook her head. "Sisi kamwe kurudi, hivyo--" 

 

Tawaba held up a hand for silence. He moved forward and picked up the green child. The child's eyes showed complete trust. Mark, Marie, and the Titans let out a bated breath as Tawaba kissed Gar's forehead. They didn't understand what had been said, but it was easy to see that Mobu hadn't wanted Gar to be accepted into the tribe. 

 

The medicine man clenched his jaw furiously. The ring of villagers suddenly looked relieved and happy. Mark and Marie's eyes shone with tears of gratitude, and Tawaba laughed, handing Gar back to his family. 

 

"Asante, wakuu," Marie said before the other villagers converged on them. 

 

An elderly woman pushed a handful of beaded necklaces toward Tawaba, who took them. He turned to the Logans and said something that was lost in the celebratory chattering of his people. Tawaba placed one necklace around Mark's neck, then Rosie's, and Gar's. He placed the last around Marie's neck. They beamed at him and thanked him once more. The boys admired their gifts and accepted sweets from whoever handed them some. 

 

Mobu's angry face had disappeared in the crowd. 

 

+-+-+-+ 

 

"Feliz Aniversário!" 

 

Garfield sat up with a jolt, rubbing his eyes. Robin would never admit it, but the sudden chorus of shouts had startled him, too. 

 

The Logans' grins couldn't have been any wider. Marie lowered the cake to Gar's level. Five candles flickered atop white icing. There was no writing, but Gar couldn't read much anyway. 

 

"Apague as velas e faça um desejo!" Mark said excitedly. 

 

Garfield finally seemed to realize that it was his birthday, and a big smile lit up his chubby face. "Uhh, Eu desejo...para o dia mais feliz da minha vida!" he said. Then he inhaled deeply and blew out the candles. 

 

The Logans cheered, and Starfire couldn't help but clap along. She was a sucker for happy families. A smile twitched at the corners of Cyborg's and Raven's lips. Robin folded his arms as though he were suspicious of the behavior. Mistricker had the same smirk on his lips that he had had since the beginning. 

 

Several pictures flickered past: Garfield and Rosie eating cake, Marie wiping Rosie's face with a rag while he looked annoyed, Mark tossing Gar into the air and catching him. The memory resumed with the family climbing into a boat. 

 

It was an old motorboat, and most of its paint had faded or scratched off. There was no name on the side, but it seemed in well working order as Mark turned the key and started it. 

 

"Preparado?" Mark grinned back at his family. 

 

"Yeah!" cheered the boys and Marie. 

 

"Está bem!" 

 

Mark put the boat in motion, and they were off on a river adventure. Rosie pulled his binoculars out of his shoulder bag and began to look at the bank. The Logans waved to a group of women tossing fishing nets. The women cheered and waved as they passed. 

 

Soon enough, civilization was replaced with thick jungle, and Mark cut the engine so they drifted along the river. They began to peer at the trees on the bank, looking for something. Animal noises surrounded them, and the river burbled underneath them. Everything was peaceful. 

 

The beautiful silence was broken by an excited, "Macaco! Macaco!" A flock of birds were startled into flight, and the monkey Garfield had pointed out disappeared. 

 

Mark chuckled and turned to Gar, but stopped and frowned at something downstream. He suddenly fell, cracking his head on the railing, and Marie cried out. She grabbed the boys and pushed them to the floor of the boat, eyes wide. That was when Gar noticed the arrow sticking out of his father's chest, and the red, red blood. 

 

"Papai!" Roosevelt gasped. 

 

The Titans watched in shock. 

 

"Abaixem-se," Marie whispered urgently. She army-crawled to her husband and checked for a pulse. Her face contorted in grief, but she held back her tears. She said to the boys again, "Abaixem-se," then moved to the bow of the boat. 

 

"Tafadhali!" she called loudly. "Wala risasi." 

 

"Kusimama," came a distant reply. 

 

Marie shot a meaningful look over her shoulder, and Rosie nodded. He put an arm over Gar's shaking shoulders, holding back frightened tears himself. She raised her hands slowly, then rose to her knees, glaring at the offenders downstream. Then she stood, her arms raised over her head to show she was defenseless. 

 

"Kuruhusu sisi kuondoka eneo hili. Nina watoto ndani!" she called out. She stumbled back with a gasp, but couldn't evade the arrow. The arrow struck her in the stomach, and she fell, face twisted in pain. 

 

"Mamãe!" the boys screamed. 

 

Marie grunted and pulled herself towards the console, one hand gripped around the shaft. Both of her sons were crying now. She turned the key, and the boat roared to life. Then she pushed the accelerator to its maximum. The boat sped off. Marie's eyes fluttered closed, and she went limp. 

 

Garfield began to hyperventilate. "Mamãe, Mamãe," he blubbered. Roosevelt looked terrified out of his wits, but he tore his eyes away from his parents and got up onto his hands and knees shakily. His face paled when he spotted the boat following them. But as he watched, the other boat slowed and turned around, growing smaller and smaller in the distance. 

 

"Gar, eles não deixaram!" he shouted over the roar of the wind. He stood up and turned to his brother with a tiny smile, but then it faded again. Garfield started retching, sick in his terror and grief. Roosevelt ran to the console and turned the wheel hard left. 

 

The vessel turned violently, nearly tipping over on its side. Rosie cried out as he lost his grip and fell, tripping over his mother's body in the process. The engine sputtered and died, and the boat rocked in the water. 

 

"Quê!" Gar pushed himself up, looking at his brother as though he'd gone crazy. 

 

Roosevelt ignored him and scrambled to get to the console again. He twisted the key. The engine only sputtered. Twist the key, sputter, twist the key, sputter. Rosie gave up and put his hands on his head, desperately searching for an escape. 

 

"O que está errado?" Garfield asked, grabbing Rosie and looking up at him with stricken eyes. 

 

Rosie looked back with equally large eyes, then turned and looked out at the river. Gar followed his gaze and saw the waterfall. 

 

"Vamos morrer!" Gar squealed, burying his face in his hands. 

 

He looked up when Roosevelt grabbed him roughly. "Espere, espere!" Gar gasped when Roosevelt dragged him towards the side of the boat. "NÃO!" Rosie ignored his brother's screams and threw him overboard, much to the Titans' shock. 

 

Murky water. A flurry of bubbles. A dull roar of water. Garfield flailed wildly in the water, reaching desperately towards the surface. The river bottom was nowhere in sight. 

 

"Beast Boy!" squealed Starfire, who had had tears running down her cheeks since the death of Mark. 

 

There was another splash nearby, and Rosie swam into focus. He reached Garfield and grabbed him, pulling him into his arms as he started kicking. They both spluttered and gasped for air as they broke the surface. Gar panicked and fought, splashing water everywhere. 

 

"Gar, pare! Pare!" Rosie grunted. He was trying to hold both of them up while making toward the bank. The boat drifted a little ahead of them, moving closer to the waterfall. Garfield, in his struggles, pulled them both under, and Rosie lost his grip. 

 

Suddenly, everything was strange. The visuals distorted, and the murky water became clearer. The Titans squinted at the scene, trying to make it out. They saw a rippling Roosevelt dive under, hands reaching out for Garfield, who wasn't there. Rosie became far away as the riverbank appeared to move closer at an alarming speed. 

 

Then Gar broke the surface again, and vision returned to normal. He gasped and looked around, then down at himself. He was very confused. The Titans knew that he had morphed for the first time. Instinct had kicked in and saved him, changing his body into that of a fish. 

 

"Gar! Onde você está?" Rosie cried. 

 

"Rosie!" Garfield cried, seeing his brother. 

 

Roosevelt heard and spotted him on the bank. He seemed a bit confused, but forgot it immediately and paddled toward the bank. The current swept him along as he struggling, occasionally dipping under and coming up gasping and spitting water. 

 

"Rosie!" Garfield ran along the bank in his sopping wet clothes. When he reached the point where his brother was in the river, he waded in and outstretched his hand. Several feet separated the two of them. It felt like miles to the boys. Gar went in a little deeper and lunged for Rosie's arm as he was swept past, but his head went under. Panic overwhelmed his senses and Garfield retreated to dry land, choking. "Rosie! Rosie!" 

 

Rosie came up once more, choking and flailing. He was growing weaker by the second, and the waterfall was coming up fast. 

 

A twig snapped behind him, and Gar wheeled around. 

 

"Mobu!" he cried, running up to him, his savior! Gar gripped the hem of the medicine man's shirt and tugged urgently, pointing towards his brother. "Msaada! Tafadhali! Msaada! Msaada!" 

 

Two white men with bows in hand approached from behind. Gar gasped and pointed behind Mobu with wide eyes. Mobu turned and looked at them. They wore only T-shirts and khaki shorts, and one wore a pair of sunglasses. 

 

One man extended a small bag to Mobu, who took it and poured a handful of silver coins into his palm. After a moment of scrutiny, he nodded with approval. The two men advanced on Garfield, who stared up at the old medicine man. He shied away as one of the strange men reached for him. 

 

"Rosie!" Gar called desperately, turning. 

 

He saw the boat go over the falls. Then he saw his brother's body floating face-down, arms splayed out at his sides. Seconds later, the current carried him over the edge. A wail of despair escaped from his lips. 

 

Garfield felt a touch on his shoulder, and suddenly he was running. He had to escape, all of his senses were screaming danger. The Titans could only watch sickly as the men quickly caught up to the small boy. One grabbed him by the back of his shirt while the other knocked the screaming child over the head with his bow. The world exploded in a burst of color, then disappeared into a black void. 

 

 

Glossary: (In order, not by language. BP = Brazilian Portuguese. S = kiSwahili.) [You're lucky to have this, because the Titans didn't! >:D] 

 

(BP) deixe-me olha - let me see 

 

(BP) macaco - monkey 

 

(BP) Estamos chegando - We're coming 

 

(BP) mamãe - mom / mommy 

 

(BP) papai - dad / daddy 

 

(BP) espere por mim - wait for me 

 

(BP) sapo - toad / frog 

 

(BP) Você está mordido? - Are you bitten? 

 

(S) Mimi itachukua Rosie. Wewe kuja kwa ajili yake baada ya Gar ni bora zaidi. - I will take Rosie. You come for him when Gar is better. 

 

(S) Asante, wakuu Tawaba. - Thank you, chief Tawaba. 

 

(S) Wewe ni ari - You are awake. 

 

(BP) Eu volto mais tarde - I'll come back later 

 

(BP) Você conforta enquanto eu continuar trabalhando. - You comfort him while I keep working. 

 

(BP) Sim, querida? - Yes, dear? 

 

(BP) Estamos aqui - We're here 

 

(BP) Desculpe - Sorry 

 

(BP) Nós somos apenas irritadiço - We're just a little cranky 

 

(BP) Meu ombro dói - My shoulder hurts 

 

(BP) Não me sinto bem - I don't feel well 

 

(BP) Eu sei. Nós estamos trabalhando nisso - I know. We're working on it. 

 

(BP) Estou com medo! Tudo é diferente. O que há de errado comigo? - I'm scared! Everything is different. What's wrong with me? 

 

(S) Familia Logan - Logan family / The Logan family 

 

(S) Umetupa sana. Kwa kuwa sisi ni kushukuru. - You have given us much. For that we are grateful. 

 

(S) Lakini hapa una mtoto. Mtoto kuambukizwa na Sakutia - But here you have a child. A child infected with Sakutia*(see A/N below). 

 

(S) Gar lazima kuuawa, kwa mujibu wa sheria. - Gar should be killed, according to the law. 

 

(S) Tutaweza kuondoka - We'll leave 

 

(S) Sisi kamwe kurudi, hivyo-- - We will never return, so-- 

 

(BP) Feliz Aniversário! - Happy birthday! 

 

(BP) Apague as velas e faça um desejo - Blow out the candles and make a wish 

 

(BP) Eu desejo...para o dia mais feliz da minha vida! - I wish...for the best day in my life! 

 

(BP) Preparado? - Ready? 

 

(BP) Está bem! - All right! / Okay! / Sounds good! 

 

(BP) Abaixem-se - Stay down 

 

(S) Tafadhali - Please 

 

(S) Wala risasi - Don't shoot 

 

(S) Kusimama - Stand 

 

(S) Kuruhusu sisi kuondoka eneo hili. Nina watoto ndani! - Allow us to leave the area. I have children inside! 

 

(BP) eles não deixaram! - They have left! 

 

(BP) Quê! - What! (in surprise) 

 

(BP) O que está errado? - What's wrong? 

 

(BP) Vamos morrer! - We're gonna die! 

 

(BP) espere - wait 

 

(BP) NÃO! - NO! 

 

(BP) pare - stop 

 

(BP) Onde você está? - Where are you? 

 

(S) Msaada! - Help!


	3. Thief

Chapter 3: Thief 

 

By the end of the memory, Starfire was sobbing into Robin's shoulder while Robin himself seemed lost in thought. Cyborg looked deeply disturbed by what he had seen. Raven's hood still hid her face, but her eyes were closed and her lips were mouthing her familiar mantra as she tried to calm her roiling emotions. Mistricker's ever-present smirk played on his lips. 

 

"Never would have guessed," he said to no one in particular. Cyborg shot him a hard look. "He always seems so happy. Guess he's over it now, eh? Doesn't care anymore." 

 

"I'm 'bout to get over your face," Cyborg growled, raising a metal fist. 

 

"Shhh, little robot," Mistricker hissed, waving a hand. "The movie's starting." Cyborg growled but turned away from him, fists clenched at his sides. 

 

A dark room came into focus. There was a musty smell, and a sink on the far wall dripped constantly. Tools, moldy boxes, and a filthy refrigerator took up the rest of the room. A set of stairs led up to a thick metal door, which was sure to be bolted from the outside. Underneath the staircase was a wire dog cage, but there was no dog in it. 

 

Instead was a little green boy, wrists and ankles bound with zip ties. He sniffled and whimpered, chewing on the plastic around his wrists. 

 

"Aw, hell no!" Cyborg yelled out. "That's just wrong!" 

 

Robin and Raven scowled at the abuse. 

 

Starfire's eyes glowed green in fury. "Has our tiny friend not been through enough already?" she demanded. Her toes were several inches from the floor now. 

 

They looked up as the door banged open. Little Gar froze, zip tie still between his teeth. He tried to sit up and press his body to the back of the cage, but the cage was too small. So he huddled as far away from the latched door as he could, ears twitching at the sound of each step. His green eyes were wide with fear. All his senses were working overtime. 

 

"Hey there, freak!" greeted a cheerful voice. One of the men from before appeared in front of the cage, startling the boy. The man was missing several teeth and had thinning brown hair, though he still looked quite young. At the most he was in his early thirties. 

 

Garfield snarled at him. 

 

"Shut up," the man retorted, hitting the cage with a bat he had brought with him. The metal rang loudly. "You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you? That's okay. You don't need to know. You're just a barbaric monster." 

 

He sat back on his heels with a thoughtful expression. Gar glared at him. His body was shaking--whether from the damp cold or fear his friends didn't know. 

 

"You're a real ugly thing, you know that?" the man continued in a casual voice. "But I guess a collector of rare items would pay good for you. I mean, they buy ugly-ass fish and stuff, so why not a mutant freak. We're gonna sell you for a fortune!" He spread his arms to demonstrate the extent of the wealth. 

 

Garfield furrowed his brow, studying the American. He really had no clue what was being said, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. This man had killed his family. Anything he said was evil. 

 

Another pair of feet descended the stairs. Everyone looked up to see the man's partner in crime. He was just as ugly, with yellow teeth and a scraggly beard. He was the one who wore the sunglasses, which were now perched on his bald head. 

 

"What are you doing, Grayson?" sighed the bald man. Robin stiffened at the name, but no one seemed to notice. "You'd better not hurt him before the client gets here." 

 

"Nah, Bill," Grayson smirked. "We're just having a nice conversation, right, freak?" 

 

Garfield looked between the two of them, then eyed the bat suspiciously. 

 

"Anyway," Grayson said. "Why'd you come down here? You weren't possibly worried, were you?" 

 

"The client called. He wants stats on the specimen, 'e said," Bill shrugged. "Height, weight, age, condition." 

 

"Well, I don't know about age, so just say five. He looks small enough to be that." 

 

"Mmh. Get him out so I can measure him," Bill held up a tape measure. 

 

Grayson moved toward the cage and produced a key from his pocket. He opened the door and motioned for the changeling to come out. Gar didn't move. 

 

"Out," the man ordered. Gar didn't move. 

 

The man glanced at Bill, who only looked unimpressed. Grayson hit the cage with the bat again, then reached in when the child flinched. Before Gar could do anything, the cruel man had grabbed him by the hair and yanked him out, soliciting a howl of pain. Garfield grabbed his hand, but he only pulled harder, forcing him to stand. 

 

"Keep him still," Bill said, kneeling. 

 

Tears streamed from Gar's eyes, and he was shaking even more than before. He stared wide-eyed at the tape measure, not entirely sure what it was. He was about three and a half feet tall. The tape measure was rolled back up, and Grayson lifted the boy by his collar. 

 

"Around forty pounds, give or take," guessed the man before dropping him. 

 

Garfield fell onto his bottom, gasping for air. Then, realizing that no one was touching him anymore, he scooted away from the men. 

 

"Condition," Grayson said, "green." Then he burst out laughing as though that was a funny joke. 

 

"Put him back in the cage," Bill rolled his eyes. "I've got to call the client." 

 

"Yeah, yeah." 

 

Grayson lifted the bat threateningly, and Gar flinched. He reached for his hair again, but leapt back with a cry of surprise as a ferocious dog snapped at him. The men retreated a few steps, watching the snarling creature struggle in its bonds. A second later its paws were free, and the green boy was back in its place, glaring and baring his sharp teeth. 

 

"It's a shape-shifter," Bill breathed in shock. The men shared a glance, then looked back at Gar as he made a few hesitant steps towards the stairs. 

 

"Guess the price just went up," Grayson smirked. He pulled a pistol out of his waistband and pointed it at Garfield, who froze. Gar's mind raced, trying to comprehend what was happening now. He'd never seen a weapon like that in his life. 

 

The Titans watched tensely. He had to have escaped somehow, they knew that. Cyborg wracked his memories of all the times he had treated Beast Boy's wounds. He couldn't remember any bullet wounds among the swathe of battle scars. 

 

"I wonder if he can transform into anything?" 

 

"Well," Bill said, "if he can, it's better to have him restrained first. Wouldn't do to have him escape before we get the money." 

 

His partner nodded, then approached Gar, who moved back and searched the room. Realizing that he had nowhere to go, the boy returned to the cage. Grayson gave a satisfied grunt and slammed the door, nearly crushing Garfield's foot. He locked it and stood back again. 

 

"Don't hit the--" Bill was interrupted by a loud clang. "...cage. That's really annoying." 

 

"I think it's funny," chuckled Grayson. 

 

Starfire yelled out, "It is NOT funny, you zalworg tobeckplizing zorgmorker!" A flurry of starbolts passed through the scene and disappeared, completely unnoticed by the past characters. 

 

"Calm down, Star!" Robin said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to his level. The green glow in her eyes faded and her saddened look returned. 

 

"I did not have any of the clues that friend Beast Boy had dealt with such horrible things," she said, lowering her gaze. 

 

"None of us did, Starfire," Raven said. "But nothing can change it now. I think it will be over soon, and when we all wake up, everything will go back to normal." 

 

"Thank you, friend Raven," Starfire smiled lightly. "I hope you are right." 

 

"Shut up," Mistricker said. "I can't hear the show." 

 

"Stop calling it a show," Robin snapped. 

 

Cyborg added, "This is our friend, man. Why don't you show some respect before I--" 

 

"Shh!" 

 

Garfield was lying on his back in the cage, bare feet pressed against the door. His hands were braced at the opposite end of the prison. He was pushing as hard as he could, attempting to break out. His legs shook from the exertion, then finally gave out. The boy dropped his feet, panting hard. Then he kicked out with all his might, repeatedly. The metal bent a little, but still held fast. 

 

Gar whined miserably and put his hands over his eyes. "Mamãe, papai," he cried quietly. "Rosie...Tawaba." 

 

The basement door swung open and closed again, and a footsteps descended. Gar pushed himself into a sitting position, ears twitching and nostrils flaring. He sniffed the air. 

 

Bill came into view, a plate of what looked like fruit slices in one hand and a flipbook in the other. He sat cross-legged in front of the cage and set the plate beside him. The Titans watched suspiciously as the man picked up a peach slice and passed it through the bars of the cage. 

 

Gar reached for it warily, and when Bill didn't jerk it back, he took it. After sniffing it and recognizing it as food, he pushed the sweet, juicy fruit into his mouth and swallowed greedily. He then looked back at Bill expectantly, holding out a small hand. 

 

Bill shook his head, holding up a finger. Garfield seemed confused as his captor held up the flipbook and turned to the first page. There was a picture of a puppy. "Turn into this," Bill said, tapping the picture with his finger, then pointing to Gar. 

 

Garfield only stared at him. Bill picked up another slice and held it out. The green child reached for it, but the man set it down again. "Turn into this," he repeated the motion. 

 

He finally understood, but now he didn't know how to do what was wanted of him. Gar was hungry. That first sweet morsel had only teased his stomach. He concentrated on the picture as hard as he could, but his body didn't change. 

 

Bill looked through the flipbook and showed him a different picture. This one was a cat. Gar focused on the photograph, but his attention was drawn to the plate. "No," Bill said sternly, tapping the picture. The boy tried telling himself to change, he begged himself to change, wished it, but to no avail. The flipbook was closed and the plate was taken away with a disappointed Bill. When he heard the door close and bolt again, Gar curled into a fetal position, nursing his aching belly. 

 

A new memory abruptly started. 

 

Garfield was sitting on the floor, a dog's shock collar around his neck. He was chained to the stair railing behind him. The boy, sporting a bruised cheek and fat lip, was clearly concentrating on the puppy picture again. His two captors watched him eagerly. 

 

A moment later, Gar had done it. He had shifted into a dog. He was rewarded with a small crust of bread, which he practically inhaled. 

 

Bill turned to a new page. It was the cat. This time it was easier to change, but it left him tired and panting. He was given another piece of bread. 

 

Gar was shown a rabbit. He became one and accepted his reward. But now he was really tired. He couldn't replace the energy he was using quickly enough. What he really needed was a healthy meal. 

 

He shapeshifted into a turtle, then a snake, and then a bird. Then he could do no more. 

 

Grayson and Bill exchanged a glance, then slid the plate of bread and vegetables towards him. Grayson filled a bowl with metallic water from the sink and placed it in front of him. Gar suddenly found the gusto to eat and drink his fill. 

 

"The client coming in tomorrow?" Grayson asked. 

 

"Yup." 

 

"How much are we getting?" 

 

"We're looking at a couple of million now, but I might be able to get a little more out of him," Bill said casually. "O' course, there are other potential buyers. We could start a bid." 

 

"Or we could keep him ourselves." 

 

Bill shot his partner an incredulous look. 

 

"Hear me out, man," Grayson held up his hands. "Look at what he can do. If we train 'im right, he'd do whatever we want. We could get him to disable alarms from the inside, make our job much easier. We'd have more time to grab what we want, and in the long run we'd get much more than a couple mil." 

 

The bald man looked thoughtfully at the boy, who had finished off his meal and was now slurping at the water. "You've got a point," he said reluctantly. "Given that we can train him." 

 

"That shouldn't be too hard. It's only day two, and look how far we've gotten already." Grayson smirked. "Jumping through hoops for a few crumbs." 

 

"Let's give it a shot," Bill shrugged. Gar looked up at them briefly, sucking the crumbs from his grubby fingers. 

 

The scene changed. 

 

Gar looked at the collar in his hand, rubbing his sore neck with the other. He perked his ears up, listening for the telltale clicks that meant the door was being unbolted. When he heard it, he morphed into his smallest form: a fly. He buzzed unsteadily up the staircase, his whacked-out vision making him horribly dizzy. Even Raven had to close her eyes. 

 

"Gah," muttered Bill, waving a hand as Gar tried to maneuver around his head. The boy narrowly avoided being crushed in the door as it was closed. But he had made it out. 

 

He changed back into his human form and listened intently. He could hear low murmurs and giggles coming from a room down the hall. Behind him, footsteps descended the steps. It was now or never. Garfield had to find the way out. 

 

First he ran to the window and tried to push it open. It was locked, but having never dealt with glass panes before the boy simply assumed it couldn't be opened and moved on. He threw a terrified glance over his shoulder as Bill screamed out. 

 

The basement door burst open, and then the door at the end of the hall. A shirtless Grayson and Bill met eyes. Garfield froze, mind blank with fear. 

 

"What's going on?" asked a sultry voice behind Grayson. A half-naked blonde woman appeared with a lustrous smile. It faded when she saw Bill roughly grab the green boy, who suddenly snapped out of his trance. He screamed and struggled, earning a kick in the stomach. 

 

"How did he get out?" Grayson demanded, stomping toward the two. 

 

The girl gaped in horror, mouth opening and closing silently. Grayson grabbed Gar by the hair and pulled hard. 

 

"Hey!" the woman finally found her voice. "You're hurting him!" 

 

"Just go back to bed, sweetheart," Grayson said over his shoulder. "I'll be back after I take care of this, all right?" 

 

"Wh--What! No!" She moved forward and shoved the man back, who looked at her as though she were a stranger creature than Gar. "This is a little boy. I won't let you treat him like that." 

 

Bill and Grayson chuckled. "Boy? No, that's an it," Bill said. "An animal." 

 

She glared at him in disgust, pulled the sobbing child closer to her, and shielded him in her arms. "No. I'm taking him to the police, and you can bet on me telling them all about this." 

 

The men's smiles faded. 

 

"Can't let you do that, sweetheart." Grayson pulled out his pistol and pointed it her. 

 

She blanched, eyes widening. "W--Wait," she stammered. "You--" 

 

BANG! 

 

Gar gasped and threw his hands over his ears. The girl's protective arms fell away from him, and her body hit the floor with a sickening thud. Her hazel eyes began to glaze over, staring up at the ceiling. Blood began to pool around her body. 

 

"Damn," Bill sighed. "I was gonna do her after you." 

 

"Gross," Grayson's lip curled. Then he looked down at the shocked boy. "Guess we'll have to punish him. Training doesn't seem to be doing the trick." 

 

"What about her?" 

 

"I'll think of something." 

 

Suddenly they were back in the dark basement. Mistricker chortled, earning four hard glares. He opened his mouth to say something, but was knocked back by a dark blast of magic. Raven and the others returned their gazes to the memory. 

 

"You're hungry, right?" taunted Grayson. He held out a blood strip of meat. "Then eat." 

 

Garfield shied away as the meat was pushed toward his face, but he had little room to move. The shock collar had been replaced, but this time the buckle had a sturdy covering of duct tape. The chain had been shortened, and his arms were tied behind his back. The boy's face and shirtless body was littered with bruises and bloody cuts. A surge of anger welled up in his friends. 

 

"Eat up," Grayson insisted. "Or would you rather have the whole thing now?" He held up a severed human arm. A collective intake of breath from the Titans--it was the girl's arm. 

 

Gar whimpered and cried as the appendage was thrust into his face, but he kept his lips tightly sealed. The man dropped the arm and struck Garfield across the face, then gripped his swollen face tightly. He pressed his thumb and finger at the hinges of Gar's jaw, forcing his mouth open. Despite the boy's struggles, he was too weak to fend off his captor, and the raw flesh was pushed into his mouth. Grayson then pressed his hand firmly over the boy's lips as he gagged and tried to spit. He had no choice but to swallow the disgusting piece. 

 

"Good boy," Grayson cooed, patting him on the head. Gar retched violently, but nothing came up. He spit repeatedly, desperate to rid himself of the taste. "Want some more? There's plenty where that came from. And we've got the rest in the freezer." He jerked his head toward the refrigerator in the corner. Then he went to work slicing up the arm into bite-sized pieces. 

 

The teens felt sick. The human half of Cyborg's face was almost as green as Beast Boy's skin. Starfire had a hand over her mouth, tears in her red-rimmed eyes. Robin and Raven clenched their teeth tightly. 

 

The footsteps coming down the stairs were heavier than usual. Gar curled up as tightly as he could, shivering. His ears twitched, and he squeezed his eyes shut. A few tears leaked out and trailed down the dirt that coated his skin. 

 

Bill stopped at the foot of the stairs, swaying hazardously. A liquor bottle was clutched in his hand, a dull shine in his eyes. His sunglasses were missing from their usual perch atop his bald head. His gaze traveled around the room, then came to a rest on Garfield's huddled form. 

 

He staggered toward him and prodded him with a toe. Gar whimpered, but didn't move. 

 

"Wa'e up," Bill slurred. "I talkin' to ya, freak." He swayed in silence for a moment, then dropped to his knees and carefully set aside his whiskey. He shook Garfield roughly by the shoulders. "Wake up!" 

 

Gar stared up at him with wide eyes, quivering. Bill stared back with an unreadable expression. "You're a real ugly thing, ya know that," he said finally. "If you were ou' in the real world, you'd'a been killed off like the animal ya are. Even if ya did live, no one'd ever love you." 

 

Bill's mouth twitched in a smile. "Ya wanna know what love is?" he asked. "Ya wanna feel what it feels like? Tha's real easy." 

 

The boy whined in protest as Bill suddenly grabbed him and forced him face-down on the grimy floor. The man pushed his tunic up and pulled down his pants. Gar's face showed the confusion he felt. 

 

Robin grabbed Starfire's arm and turned her around as he spun on his heels. "Don't look," he seethed. Raven lowered her face when she saw that Bill was undoing his belt buckle, and Cyborg turned his head away from the scene. This was so much worse than the beatings and the forced cannibalism. 

 

A moment later, Bill grunted, and hoarse cries rang out. The repetitive sobs grew weaker and were replaced by gasps and choking noises. Bill's quiet grunts and moans could be heard throughout. Everything grew hazy, then blacked out. The sounds disappeared. 

 

Mistricker, for once, was silent. There was no smirk on his face. 

 

"Baby's first job," said Grayson suddenly. 

 

The Titans turned back, relieved that the rape had ended. 

 

Grayson was dressed from head to toe in black, as was Bill. Garfield was standing between the two, looking down at his bare feet. His African garb had been replaced by a black shirt and pants, both of which were too large for him. He looked tiny and exhausted, and sported a black eye. It seemed as though a lot of time had passed. Gar had grown a bit taller despite his malnourishment, and his tangled hair now reached his shoulders. 

 

"Remember what we taught you," Bill whispered, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder. 

 

Gar flinched, but stayed. 

 

"Go," Grayson said. 

 

At the command, little Beast Boy morphed into a cat and slinked away. He disappeared into the alley between two buildings--a bank and a jewelry store. He leapt up onto a garbage can, then changed back into his human form, looking around. His green eyes flashed in the moonlight. 

 

When he spotted the back door to the jewelry store, he jumped back down to the ground and changed into a roach, enabling him to enter the store. Once inside he scanned the room. Then he moved to the door and peered out into the next room. He was behind the register, which he climbed onto silently. His eyes locked onto the glass front doors, and he swiftly moved towards them. The security system was deactivated by the push of a button. The door was opened. Seconds later his owners had appeared and closed it behind them. 

 

"Good boy," Grayson said, patting his head. 

 

Then the men got to work, pulling out big sacks for the loot. It was simple enough to break the glass and scoop up the multitudes of precious jewels and metals. 

 

"After this, we'll hit the bank," whispered Bill, admiring a rather large diamond. 

 

Garfield backed away from them with a guilty look on his face. He went behind the register counter again, out of sight from his captors. He put a hand on his stomach as it growled loudly, his face contorting in pain. Gar swayed on his feet and put out a hand to steady himself. When the dizzy spell passed, he pulled his hand away and blinked at the button underneath the counter, which he had accidentally pressed. He looked around, wondering what it had done, since nothing had happened. 

 

He shook his head and went up to one of the display cases. He pressed his nose to the glass and stared at the ornaments. Gar was actually quite impressed. He had only ever seen gold and beads, and though they held their own beauty, none of them were so shiny as these. 

 

The glass suddenly shattered, and Gar leapt back, startled. Grayson smirked at him and reached in for the trinkets. He was joined shortly by Bill, and the boy made his way to the side of the store the men had already ransacked. He wanted to be as far from them as possible. 

 

Gar's eyes flickered to the doors, and a longing passed over his face. But then he shook his head again with a frightened expression. He couldn't escape, he knew that. 

 

His ears twitched at a strange noise, then locked onto the sound and listened. It was growing louder, a sharp ringing noise. As it neared, the sound turned into a loop of a shrill scream. No, it wasn't a scream, it was a-- 

 

"Shit!" Bill hissed. "Cops!" 

 

He and Grayson froze, sharing a frightened look. Then they glared at Gar. Red and blue lights flashed outside, and the sirens wailed loudly. 

 

"Police!" shouted an authoritative voice from outside. "Come out with your hands up!" 

 

Gar stared outside. Several people had gotten out of their vehicles with the flashing lights, guns drawn. Now he was scared. Those weapons were used to kill people, Grayson had already shown him that. He looked back to his captors for guidance, but they seemed at a complete loss. 

 

"We gotta go out there," said Bill. "It's over." 

 

"Maybe," agreed Grayson bitterly as the police repeated their command. "But I'm not going down without taking out this freak." He pulled his gun out of his waistband and pointed it at Garfield, whose eyes widened. 

 

A shot rang out, and Garfield cried out, throwing his hands over his head. When he didn't feel any pain, he looked up to see Grayson on the ground. 

 

"Don't shoot!" Bill called out, raising his hands over his head. He got down on his knees beside his dead partner as the police swarmed the building, guns pointed at him. 

 

Garfield shrank into the corner, watching in terror. He flinched as an officer spotted him and aimed for him. "It's a kid," he said in surprise, lowering his weapon. He approached Gar and reached out a comforting hand. The boy could only stare and shiver, breathing quickly. 

 

"We need an ambulance," the officer said over his shoulder. His voice sounded strangely disembodied, and the picture distorted as Gar passed out.


	4. A New Home

Chapter 4: A New Home 

 

"This is Mr. Nicholas Galtry, Garfield," the nurse introduced slowly. "He is going to be your new guardian. You are going to live with him." 

 

Gar looked up solemnly at the man. Galtry stood with his hands clasped behind his back, and looked down his long nose at the green boy. He wore a pressed suit and polished shoes. His dark hair was slicked back neatly. He nodded curtly to his new child. 

 

"Come," Galtry said, gesturing toward the door. He nodded to the nurse, who beamed back at him, and then led Gar down the hospital hallway. His face remained stern. 

 

Garfield was dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, and his hair had been trimmed short. On his feet were a pair of brand-new sneakers. He fidgeted with the brace on his wrist, unused to it. The boy's small legs had trouble keeping up with Galtry's brisk pace, but he managed to stay with him somehow. 

 

In the parking lot, they came to a sleek white Maserati. It had been parked parallel to the curb, across four parking slots, to ensure that nothing happened to its flawless exterior. Galtry pulled out his keys and unlocked the car, then opened the back door for Gar. He climbed in and sat down on the red leather seat. He quite liked it, actually. 

 

The door was slammed shut, and Galtry went around the car to the driver's side. Gar was just tall enough to see out the window, and so watched the city roll by. His green eyes stared up at skyscrapers, then watched a cloud or two, and then tried to discern the faces of people who were walking on the sidewalk. Soon the structures gave way to fields, and the fields to trees, until Galtry turned up a path that took them into the forest. 

 

The road was narrow and winding, but Galtry expertly maneuvered it. At the end of the snaking driveway was a large, two-story house. Gar stared, as it was all he seemed to do. 

 

Cyborg whistled. "He's loaded." 

 

Starfire wiped her eyes. "I am simply overjoyed that Beast Boy's troubles are now over." 

 

"I wouldn't be so sure," Raven said under her breath. 

 

Robin watched in silence. 

 

His new guardian got out and then opened the door for Garfield. "Come," he said. Gar stepped out, and Galtry shut the door and locked the car with a push of a button. The boy followed him into the house. 

 

Inside was just as scrupulous as the outside. It looked as though everything were brand new--and expensive, too. The walls were a pristine beige, and the hardwood floor shone with varnish. Vintage art and sculptures hung on the walls and perched on glossy desks, and the white rugs gave the place an even cleaner feel. 

 

Gar was led down the hallway, which opened up to the living room. There was a large television on the far wall between two curtained windows, and a white sofa faced the screen. At the arms of each end was a stand, on which was a box of tissues and a coaster. Between the couch and the television was a bare coffee table. Situated to the right of the room was a staircase, under which was a cupboard. To the left was an open door that led to the dining room, and past that was the kitchen. 

 

Galtry moved past all of this and began to climb the stairs. Gar stared up at a particularly graphic image of Jesus over the fireplace, looking up to the sky as he was crucified. The boy suppressed a shudder and went after his guardian. They stopped at the first door on the left, and Galtry opened it to reveal a bedroom. 

 

In the corner was a twin sized bed with a white comforter, and a mahogany dresser was placed against the wall next to the closet. A blue rug contrasted with the white walls and the hardwood floor. There was nothing else in the room. 

 

"This is your room," Galtry announced. "Do you understand?" 

 

Gar nodded. 

 

"You will not leave this room unless you are called upon," he instructed. "If any of my clients saw you, they would surely be frightened." 

 

Garfield frowned, translating in his mind. "Cl--Clints?" he repeated unsurely. 

 

Galtry looked down at him. "You will stay in here. Do not come out." 

 

Gar nodded. 

 

"You will address me as sir." 

 

He nodded again. 

 

"You are supposed to say, 'yes, sir'," Galtry said. 

 

"Yessir," he said. 

 

Galtry studied him for a moment, then exhaled. "You will stay here until I call. Understand?" 

 

Garfield scrutinized his guardian for a long moment. "Yessir," the boy replied. 

 

Galtry shut the door in Gar's face, ending the memory. 

 

The Titans and Mistricker suddenly found themselves in the dining room, looking in on Galtry and Garfield at the table. Galtry was apparently teaching Gar to read. 

 

"A f--few mills, mills, miles sooth of so--sol," Garfield stuttered. 

 

"It's south," Galtry replied in a bored tone. "Not sooth. Again." 

 

The boy's green eyes slowly returned to the beginning. He was obviously becoming frustrated. "A few miles south," he enunciated, "of sol--soli--" 

 

"Soledad." 

 

"Of Soledad," Gar repeated, "the say--sah--sal." 

 

The book was suddenly plucked from his hands, and he looked up at Galtry questioningly. His guardian placed the book down on the table, closing it in the process. The man rubbed his temple with a finger. "Your parents," he said slowly, "had millions--millions--in their fortune. Rather than spending it on a mansion, or a castle, they would rather travel the world with two snot-nosed children, and research monsters with a tribe of barbarians? And they supplied the savages with medicine and clothes." He looked at Gar in disgust, who stared at Of Mice and Men. "Although I suppose if they hadn't left you behind, I wouldn't be getting their fortune, would I." 

 

"Wewe--" Garfield started in kiSwahili. 

 

"That's enough for today," Galtry interrupted, waving a hand. "You are clearly too stupid to be taught such simple things. Return to your room." 

 

As Gar stood from the table and turned to leave, he heard Galtry mutter behind him, "Of course, animals can only be taught tricks, nothing more." 

 

Robin felt a bit guilty. He reflected on what he had said to Beast Boy earlier that day. He already told himself he would apologize for it, but now he resolved to make sure his young friend knew he hadn't meant it. 

 

Garfield was a spider under the dresser. A masked man holding a serrated knife was standing in the room, scanning his surroundings. 

 

"Is this some kind of joke?" he asked aloud. "You hired me to come kill someone, old man. Where is he? I ought to kill you for wasting my time." 

 

"He's in here somewhere," Galtry insisted, waving a hand. He stood just outside the doorway. "He's a shapeshifter." 

 

"So he can be anything." 

 

"Anything living. And he's green. I've already explained this to you. So are you competent enough to put down an animal or not?" Galtry demanded. 

 

"I'm competent enough for anything, with appropriate incentive," hissed the assassin. 

 

"Then find him and finish him." 

 

"Gladly." 

 

Galtry shut the door, cutting off Gar's escape. He crawled silently to the darkest corner of the dresser as the assassin began his search by plunging the knife into the mattress. 

 

"Come out, come out, little shapeshifter," he sang. When Garfield didn't make his presence known, he flipped the bed and poised to attack. There was nothing. The assassin looked up at the ceiling, then focused on the walls. He checked the closet, and upon finding it empty, he turned to the last possible hiding place: the wardrobe. 

 

He yanked the drawers out one by one, and found each of them devoid of life. Then he pushed the dresser aside, jolting the spider loose. Garfield transformed back into a child and snarled dangerously. 

 

"Gotcha!" The man grabbed Gar's throat and raised the knife over his head in a single fluid motion. The tip of his knife plunged into the floor. "Wha?" 

 

Garfield was a fly on his back, clinging to the fabric of his shirt for dear life. The assassin glared around the room and demanded that the boy show himself. When he didn't comply, the room was savagely torn apart. The assassin gave up and stormed out of the room. 

 

As he left the threshold of the doorway, Gar unattached himself and stood silently in the center of the chaos. Moments later, an argument could be heard downstairs, followed by the slamming of a door. A soft pair of footsteps ascended the stairs, and Galtry appeared at the door, looking down his nose at the viridian boy. 

 

"I see," he said simply. 

 

Gar stared up at him defiantly. 

 

"Another time, then." Galtry left, shutting the door. 

 

The boy stood where he was for a long moment. Then he sank to the floor, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He buried his face in his arms and cried miserably. 

 

"This Galtry man does not deserve to be Beast Boy's knorfka!" Starfire screamed. 

 

"Why doesn't he run away?" Cyborg asked angrily. "This guy just hired someone to kill him!" 

 

"He doesn't have anywhere to go," Raven said. 

 

Robin added, "And by now he associates disobedience with pain. Remember the thieves?" 

 

"His English skills," Mistricker jumped in, "aren't that great, either." 

 

The Titans looked at him in surprise, and he shrugged. "Just saying." 

 

Starfire lowered her eyes. "And yet I still do not understand. Friend Beast Boy is always so..." 

 

"Happy," Raven concluded. Starfire nodded. 

 

Cyborg and Robin frowned thoughtfully, then looked back to realize that another memory had started. 

 

"Come," Galtry said. Gar followed him out of his room, which had been fixed. The mattress had been replaced, and the walls repainted a dull shade of gray. 

 

Downstairs in the living room stood a rather unrealistically tall, lanky man. He wore a steampunk getup, with a pair of yellow-tinted goggles obscuring his eyes. "This is him?" he asked in grating voice. 

 

"It is," Galtry nodded pleasantly. He left Garfield standing as he went to sit on the sofa. Gar shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and lowered his head. It seemed that he was accepting his fate now. 

 

The new assassin pulled a tiny pistol out of his jacket. He clicked the safety off, and the barrel of the gun extended to three times its length. The man pointed the ridiculous thing towards Gar, but then swung his arm to aim at Galtry, whose pleasant face faded. 

 

"You didn't say it was a kid," the grating voice said. 

 

"I assumed it didn't weigh in this matter," Galtry said airily. "After all, I'm not paying for morals." 

 

"No, but you are paying to kill an innocent kid." 

 

"Innocent? No, no, no." Galtry laughed. "He's probably killed more people than can be counted on both my hands. He's an animal, an unstable one at that." 

 

"What's the real deal?" 

 

"Just what are you insinuating?" Galtry asked coldly. 

 

"Ah," the man replied, smirking as he looked around the room, then at Gar. "He's an orphan, eh? His parents must have left behind a large fortune, but you can't get it if he's still alive." His sly grin disappeared. "There's a monster that needs killing here, all right. But it ain't the kid." 

 

"I am no monster," Galtry stated calmly, but his eyes were hard. 

 

"Any last words?" There was a click as the assassin pulled back the hammer to cock the gun. 

 

Galtry opened his mouth, but closed it as the assassin looked down in surprise. Garfield was tugging the tail of his jacket and shaking his head with sad eyes. 

 

"You don't want me to kill him?" the man asked incredulously. Gar shook his head. "You do understand that he wants me to kill you." Gar nodded. The assassin looked at Galtry, who seemed to be restraining a smirk of satisfaction. "Guess the monster lives another day." 

 

A new memory. 

 

Once again Gar was standing in the center of the living room as Galtry watched from his couch. But this time there was not an assassin. Rather, a man in a white lab coat was studying Garfield with a cynical eye. 

 

"A shapeshifter, you said?" he asked. "What can he transform into? Does he speak? What does he eat? Is he trained?" 

 

"He can change into any living thing. But they're always green," Galtry answered. "He speaks little English. His other languages are some kind of savage grunts. He'll eat whatever you give to him as long as it's edible. I'm quite sure that would include raw flesh, but I haven't given him any of that. I wouldn't encourage him attack anyone. As for the training, I heard that his previous...owners, if you will, had trained him to steal for them. He was quite the professional before he was caught." 

 

"I see," the doctor said with an excited gleam in his eyes. He bent down to look more closely at the boy. Garfield studied the gold insignia on the coat's pocket. S.T.A.R. Labs, it read. 

 

"So, Dr. Register?" Galtry prompted. 

 

"I think he'll make a great addition to the team," Register replied. "How much do you want for him?" 

 

"At the very least, I'd say," Galtry thought for a moment as Gar gave him a sidelong look. "Two million." 

 

"Done," Register said, surprising Galtry. He pulled out his checkbook and scribbled on it before tearing it out and handing it to the gaping man. Register smiled and held out a hand to the boy. "Are you ready, Mr. Garfield?" 

 

With a last long look at Galtry admiring his new monetary addition, Gar took Register's hand. When the doctor beamed at him, Gar returned the tiniest of smiles.


	5. S.T.A.R. Labs

Chapter 5: [S.T.A.R. Labs] 

 

"Welcome to my lab, Garfield," Dr. Register said cheerfully. He waved his free hand (Gar was clinging to his other) as if the hospital-like surroundings were prize-winning. Everything was white--the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and the clothing worn by the scientists who walked around purposefully. A strong smell of disinfectant invaded Gar's nostrils, and he wrinkled his nose. The hallway in which they stood was lined with doors. Each door had a rectangular window near the top--too high for Gar to see into--and a silver nameplate that labeled what the room was for. 

 

Cyborg laughed and folded his arms. "S.T.A.R. Labs, man. I can't believe it." 

 

"This," Raven said in her monotone voice, "might be where Beast Boy gets his fear of doctors and needles." 

 

Cyborg's grin faded. "Nah, man," he said doubtfully. "My old man used to work here. They work for the good of people. They wouldn't hurt anybody." 

 

Robin shared a knowing, dreadful glance with Raven. Judging from Beast Boy's panicky reaction to bi-monthly physicals, this would not be a happy cluster of memories. 

 

"So, Garfield," said Register as they turned down yet another hallway. "Are you hungry?" 

 

"Yessir," Gar said immediately. 

 

"Please, call me Sam," Register said friendlily. 

 

Garfield nodded and followed the doctor into a room. It was a cafeteria, and several other doctors and lab assistants were chatting and eating at chrome tables. Garfield was suddenly reminded of the meals he had eaten with his brother and the other children back at the village. But that had been over three years ago now, and he couldn't go back. 

 

"What would you like to eat, Garfield?" 

 

Gar stared at him in disbelief. He had just been asked what he wanted. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had asked that. "Eu, er," he stammered, speechless. 

 

Register looked at him patiently, then said, "Well, why don't I show you what we have, and then you can decide. Is that okay, Garfield?" 

 

He nodded dumbly, a Raven-like almost smile on his lips. For the first time in a long time, that little glimmer of light was back in his eyes. The Titans finally realized the light for what it was: hope, trust. Maybe even happiness. 

 

Before they could see what food choice little Beast Boy had made, a new memory began. 

 

"What languages do you speak, Garfield?" Dr. Register asked. He was seated opposite from Gar at a chrome table, hands clasped. Gar was hunched over a sheet of paper, a blue crayon in hand. He scratched out a blue horizon, then reached for a yellow crayon and made dots--a night sky. 

 

"Português e suaíli," he replied. Then he glanced up to see if he had been understood. 

 

Register looked thoughtful. "Portuguese? And uh, Swahili, you mean?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"I see. Can you read and write? In those languages?" 

 

"In Portuguese." 

 

"What about English?" 

 

"Hard." 

 

"I see." Register watched Gar draw for a few minutes. "Is that in Africa?" 

 

"Lamumba. Big jungle, much macaco." 

 

"Macaco? What is that?" 

 

Garfield stopped coloring and looked up at him again, searching for the word. "Ooh, ooh, ee, ee, ah," he mimicked. 

 

"Ah, monkey!" Register exclaimed. 

 

The boy nodded and returned to his drawing. He used a brown for the tree trunks. 

 

"Say, Garfield," Register said. "I was told that you could change into anything you want. Is that true?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"So you could turn into macaco, yes?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

Register blinked at him. "Can you show me?" 

 

"Mm-hm." Suddenly in Gar's place was a green monkey, very similar to the one that had bitten him years ago. Register clapped his hands and laughed like a child. 

 

"Wonderful! Amazing!" he said when Gar had turned back. "You can turn into anything at all?" 

 

"Mm-hm." Gar started on the green canopy. 

 

"You are magnificent, Garfield. You're every animal in the world. Imagine the things we could learn from you!" Register watched him with admiration until the drawing was finished, and the boy showed him an impressively realistic landscape of the night jungle. "Not to mention your art skills!" 

 

A new memory began. 

 

Garfield held a jumbled Rubik's cube. Register was explaining how it worked, but was having difficulty solving it himself. After studying the doctor for a moment, Gar looked at his own and turned it in his hands, noting the patterns. Then he started twisting the compartments. 

 

Register forgot his own game and studied Garfield. By the time all of the sides were uni-colored, the doctor was gaping at the boy. Gar gave it to him, and Register finally managed to tear his eyes away and look at his watch. "You completed the cube in--in under two minutes, Garfield." 

 

Even Starfire looked impressed. For once, Raven was slack-jawed with awe, and Robin was speechless. Cyborg almost looked confused. 

 

"Garfield," Register said, "would it be okay if we took another test?" 

 

"Test?" 

 

"It's almost like a game. It's a game, Garfield," Register assured him, smiling. "It'll be fun. Do you want to do it?" 

 

"Mm-hm!" 

 

They abruptly changed scenes, and Gar was seated in front of a blank screen. A small microphone was placed in front of him, though not high enough to obscure his vision. Register came to explain the game. 

 

"Do you know your colors, Garfield?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"Can you read them?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"Okay, on this screen, a color is going to come up. Understand?" 

 

He nodded. 

 

"The color will be a word, like the word blue or the word red. Understand?" 

 

Another affirmative. 

 

"But," Register held up a finger, "the word will be a different color than what the word says. We want you to say the name of the color, not the word. Get it?" 

 

"Get?" 

 

"I mean, do you understand?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"Can you tell me what you understand?" 

 

"Say the color. Don't say the word. Say the color of the word," Gar repeated. 

 

Register smiled. "Very good. Let's get started." 

 

The word red came up on the screen. 

 

"Black," Gar said instantly. He was right. 

 

Blue. 

 

"Prupil," he said. "No, porpal. No, pur--purp..." 

 

"It's okay," Register said. "The color is purple. You were close enough, Garfield." 

 

The test / game continued, Garfield correctly identifying the color each time. Just to make sure it wasn't that Gar couldn't read, Register switched the rules and had Gar read the word while ignoring the color. He aced that test as well. 

 

Another scene played. This time Dr. Register was talking to Gar. 

 

"You're a very, very smart boy, Garfield," he said. "Do you remember those tests you took?" 

 

Gar nodded. 

 

"Well, even though you said they were a little hard, your results are amazing. See, the average IQ score is 100, okay? Do you want to know what yours is?" 

 

"Um milhão?" Gar guessed. 

 

Register laughed. "Is that one million?" When he received a nod he laughed again. "No, it's not um milhão, but it's still really high. You scored 203. That's 103 more than the average." 

 

"Not as good as um milhão," Gar sighed. 

 

Robin's jaw dropped. "203?! He's like, nine! That's--that's--" 

 

"Genius," Cyborg said. "But he's so--he's--" 

 

"He acts stupid?" Raven questioned almost angrily. "That means he probably knows a lot more than he lets on." 

 

"Excuse me, friends, but why would friend Beast Boy pretend to be of lesser intelligence?" Starfire interjected. 

 

"I don't know," Robin shook his head. 

 

"Maybe he took a blow to the head or something," Cyborg said. "If he didn't, I'm gonna give him one and ask why he's acting so stupid!" 

 

"No one's hitting anybody, okay?" Robin ordered. "We'll approach him calmly, and rationally, and talk it out." 

 

Mistricker finally spoke, "If his memories don't show us for themselves. There's a reason for everything, every action, every thought. Now shut up. Another memory's opened." 

 

"Now this is just a small sample of blood, Garfield," Register said. He was standing beside Gar, who was reclined in what appeared to be a dentist's chair. A lab assistant was on his other side, tying a rubber tourniquet around his upper arm. 

 

"Okay," Gar said. "My papai is a doctor, too. I'm not scared." 

 

"I see," Register said. "Did you papai give you injections often?" 

 

"Vacinas," the boy replied. "To make sure we don't make sick. And then to make me life." 

 

"Make you live?" Register asked. "What happened?" 

 

"Green macaco bit me here," he explained, putting his hand on his left shoulder. "But papai made medicine to make me life. Está bem." 

 

Register looked thoughtful. "I see." 

 

"All done," said the assistant, taping a cotton wad over the small puncture she had made with the needle. Then she cleaned up and left the two alone. 

 

"So after your father gave you the cure," the doctor said, "you could change into animals?" 

 

"Mm-hm." 

 

"Do you think you could help me make that cure again? For other people?" 

 

"Help other people?" Gar asked. "How do?" 

 

"Well, do you remember anything your father used to make the cure?" 

 

Gar thought. "Green," he concluded. 

 

"The cure was green?" When he received a nod, he prompted, "Is that all you remember?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Okay...Can we use your body to find out how your father made the cure?" 

 

The boy looked at him questioningly. 

 

"I mean, can we take more samples, like blood and hair?" 

 

"Yes," he said immediately. 

 

Register smiled. "Thank you. And can we do more tests?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Very good. You are a wonderful addition to our team," the doctor praised. "I am so glad I found you." 

 

Garfield was standing in a white room, alone. He looked around, then spied his reflection on the two-way mirror in the wall. A speaker resonated Register's voice, and his pointed ears perked at the sound. 

 

"Garfield, can you hear me?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Good. This is a test for your reflexes, to see how quickly and in what manner you react." There was a pause. "Try to dodge." 

 

"Dodge wha--" Before he could finish, the wind was knocked out of him as a small rubber ball hit him in the chest. He staggered back in bewilderment, putting a hand over the newly-forming bruise. 

 

His left ear twitched at a clicking noise, and he dove forward. A rubber ball ricocheted off of the opposite wall. Garfield suddenly understood, and closed his eyes, listening intently. 

 

His fly form effectively evaded another ball, and a green dog leapt up and caught a ball mid-flight. Gar spit it out as he reverted to human form, a thoughtful expression on his face. He became a fly once more and buzzed upwards, landing safely in the center of the ceiling. None of the balls could reach him there. 

 

Water sprayed throughout the room, soaking every surface. His fly feet had no hold, and his wings couldn't operate under the conditions. Garfield fell, but managed to right himself as he instinctively morphed into a cat. He landed on his feet and then looked at the glass. All he could see was his own reflection, looking slightly scared. This felt more like training than a test. 

 

The floor rumbled underneath him. He looked down to see a slit forming down the middle. Then both sides of the floor pulled apart, slowly disappearing underneath the wall. Below was pitch darkness. Gar shrank back from the abyss, staring at the glass with pleading eyes. When the floor didn't stop, Gar had no choice but to become a hummingbird, which hovered by the wall. 

 

Then the floor came back, and Gar could land, panting hard. A door on the far wall slid open, revealing Register extending his hand. Garfield ran toward him and took it, though he still looked frightened. 

 

In his next memory, the green child was strapped to a metal operating table, wearing only a pair of white underpants. A headband with crisscrossing, colored wires was on his head. The wires were connected to a monitor that displayed several different numbers. Gar looked a little worried. 

 

"This," Register said, tapping the headband, "is just to record your brainwaves, Garfield." 

 

"Why." 

 

"Well, we know that every animal reacts sort of differently to things," he explained. "And since you're every animal all in one, we were just wondering if you would have only one reaction or a lot. Oh, and this one is for the heart monitor." He placed a suction pad on Gar's chest, and the heart monitor showed a regular pulse. 

 

Gar didn't look alleviated. "What reacts?" 

 

"There will be different things. We'll tell you what we do before we do it, okay?" 

 

"I don't..." 

 

"Let's start, shall we?" An assistant handed Register a syringe with a small amount of clear liquid. Then she rubbed a spot on the boy's belly with an alcohol wipe. "This is bleach. I'm going to inject a tiny amount into your blood." The doctor pinched Gar's stomach and pushed the needle into it, then the bleach was gone. 

 

Gar whined and wriggled a bit, then went still. 

 

"Okay?" Register asked, turning to study the monitors. 

 

Both numbers on the screens began to escalate slowly. 

 

"Burns," he whimpered. Garfield's breathing quickened and he tried to pull out of his restraints. 

 

"What kind of burning?" Register asked calmly as his lab assistant jotted down observations. 

 

"Hurts," Gar gasped. "Let go, let go!" 

 

The numbers rapidly rose, and Gar began to cry, shaking his head from side to side. 

 

"Let go, let go!" 

 

"Garfield," Register said, "can you tell me what you are feeling?" 

 

"Let go, let GO!" 

 

"Nurse, administer the anesthetic," Register sighed, obviously disappointed. 

 

An oxygen mask was placed and held over Gar's mouth and nose. His struggles grew weaker, and the levels displayed on the monitors decreased. Then his eyes slipped closed and he was still, his breathing back to normal. Everything went from surreal to black. 

 

A blur of memories flashed by, all having to do with medical equipment and experiments. The familiar voice of Dr. Register echoed throughout, but no words could be distinguished. A silver flash of a needle before it disappeared into green flesh; a syringe of grayish liquid was dispensed into his bloodstream. He managed to wrench an arm free from his restraints and desperately clawed at his own skin, screaming. A small white room, with only a child huddled in the corner. His hands had been taped to prevent him from scratching his wounds. A needle brought more pain, and another took his blood. More needles injected things into him, and more took from him. A scalpel sliced open his stomach, and a latex gloved-hand prodded his insides. Strapped to the table. A red-hot rod was lowered and pressed firmly against his thigh. More screams and wails of agony. Wires connected to various parts of his little body. Shocks, convulsions, tears. All the while a lab assistant made records on a clipboard. 

 

Garfield was sitting huddled in the corner of his tiny room, bandaged arms wrapped around himself. His untrusting green eyes glared sidelong at the door as it eased open. A tray of food was brought and left to him by a new lab assistant. Gar stared at it. It was some sort of stew and a cup of water. He inched a leg out from underneath himself, then kicked hard. The tray and its contents clattered across the floor, leaving an angry mess. He raised his defiant eyes to the security camera in the upper corner of the room. 

 

Another memory began. 

 

The green boy was a little older now. He had definitely grown despite harsh conditions, much like when he had been in the captivity of Grayson and Bill. He glowered at anyone who moved near him, but could do no more than that. He was immobilized in a chair that was specifically designed for humans. Only his head was free to move. 

 

Register approached him and ignored the snarls he received. Instead of acknowledging the boy, he placed a band around his head. Gar squirmed and twisted, but to no avail. The doctor took the wires that trailed from the headset and moved to connect them to a monitor and another piece of foreboding equipment. Garfield continued to struggle, shaking his head violently and growling. Then he snapped his head against the backrest of the chair, and the blinking lights on the band died. 

 

The doctor looked at Garfield. He wasn't angry or disappointed, just stern. He turned to his assistant. "Go fetch one of the doctors from the neurotics station. One who worked on the device." When the nurse left, he looked at his subject. "That was a bit naughty, don't you think?" 

 

A snarl in reply. 

 

"Dr. Stone was just passing by," the assistant returned suddenly with a tall black man in tow. "I managed to catch him." 

 

"Ah, Professor Stone," Register greeted with a smile. "Always a pleasure." 

 

Cyborg looked as though he wanted nothing more than to strangle someone. "That's my--my." He didn't finish. 

 

"What can I do for you, Sam?" Stone replied pleasantly. 

 

"I'm not sure what happened. My little subject here managed to break this headband you worked on." Register gestured to Gar, who was still trying to wriggle free. 

 

Stone's face was suddenly hard. "What is this?" 

 

"This is Garfield," Register said. "He's a shapeshifter. Name any animal in the world, extinct or not, and he can become it. Well, not now. I managed to keep his powers...shut off, if you will, with this bracelet." 

 

"Sam," Stone said, looking at the doctor as though he were an alien, "this is a child." 

 

"Yes, but he'll grow up. He's already grown in the past two years, look at him." 

 

"Two years?" the professor repeated incredulously. "Sam, Sam...You can't, this isn't--We're supposed to help people!" 

 

"What do you think I'm doing?" Register demanded. "This is every animal in the world--not just a dog, or a cat, or a mouse. Or a human," he added. "He's simply...everything. He's invaluable. All these advances in medicine, in science, that we've made in the past two years have been thanks to Garfield." 

 

At the mention of his name, Gar growled ferally. 

 

"Sam," Stone repeated. "This is illegal. This is wrong." 

 

Register's excitement seemed to wear off. "Professor, will you fix this or not? I believe you were the head scientist on this project." 

 

"I'm not going to fix it if you're going to use it on a child," Stone said firmly. 

 

Gar stopped struggling and looked up at the new doctor. 

 

The small remnant of a smile was still on Register's lips. "Professor Stone," he said, "how is your son?" 

 

Stone seemed taken aback. "I beg your pardon?" 

 

"Little Victor, was it? Still playing sports?" Register continued. "And your wife, how is she?" 

 

Now the professor was angry. "Are you threatening my family?" he asked lowly. 

 

"I'm simply asking you about them," Register shrugged. "I'd hate to have to ask someone else. We all know that you're such a family man...Now, about this headband, Professor Stone." 

 

Stone's jaw was set. He glared at Register, who seemed pleased with himself. Finally, he lowered his gaze, relenting, and moved toward Gar. 

 

"There's a switch on the back," he said softly, pressing it. The lights flashed back on, and he turned away to leave. 

 

"I see. Thank you, Professor Stone. Always a pleasure." 

 

"S--Stone," said a tiny voice. 

 

Stone stopped and looked back over his shoulder. 

 

Tears slipped down Gar's cheeks from frightened eyes. "Please," he said. "Please. Please." 

 

For a moment, it looked as though the professor would turn back and help him, but then he left the room. Gar's pleas were ignored. 

 

Cyborg screamed in frustration as the memory blacked out. "Why didn't he help him?! He should have done something! Took a swing at that bastard! Grabbed B and ran!" 

 

"Cyborg, calm down," Robin said, putting a hand on his robotic shoulder. 

 

The oldest Titan glared at him. 

 

Mistricker sniffed. "That was your father, yes?" 

 

Raven, Starfire, and Robin turned to look at the villain. Cyborg didn't reply. 

 

"I think it's obvious that your father did nothing because he was protecting his own family," Mistricker said. 

 

"Fat lot of good that did," Cyborg said bitterly, looking at his hands. The other teens seemed to be at a loss. 

 

They were looking into the white cell again, where a ten-year old Beast Boy slouched against the wall. He stared off into space, his eyes occasionally drifting towards the door as though expecting it to open. Gar was without a shirt, revealing several old scars, new scars, healing wounds, and white bandages with splotches of bright red. His hands were still wrapped in tape to prevent him from scratching. 

 

His ear twitched lethargically as the door unbolted from the outside, then swung open. The Titans were surprised to see it was Professor Stone, looking warily over his shoulder. He turned to Gar and held a finger over his lips. Gar turned his back on the man, drawing his knees up to his chest. 

 

Stone glanced up at the security camera. He was just out of its sight, and he couldn't risk going in. If he grabbed the boy, he was sure he would struggle and scream. 

 

"Garfield?" he whispered. A twitch of the ear was the only sign that he had heard. "I'm going to help you. But you have to come over here. I'm going to get you out of here, out of this place. There's someone waiting outside to take you to a safe place." 

 

Gar's head turned slightly, as though he were contemplating whether to trust the man. 

 

"Please, Garfield," Stone whispered from the doorway. "This is the only way I can help. No one can get in. I have to take you out. But you have to come to me, and you have to be quiet so no one knows." 

 

The boy turned completely around this time and studied Stone. He seemed to decide he was trustworthy enough, or perhaps he was simply desperate for an escape, because he pushed himself to his feet and went to the professor. 

 

"Good, good," Stone said. He knelt and gingerly took Gar's hand in his own. He found the end of the tape and set to work peeling it off. Once that hand was finished, Stone was immediately given the other hand as Gar flexed his free one. The boy had an air of relief about him. Both hands were free, but Stone held fast to Gar's left hand. He looked at the bracelet, turning it until he found the clasp and undid it. "There," he said, "now let's--" 

 

Gar cocked his head as footsteps were heard coming down the hall. A second later, Stone heard them, too, and pulled Gar towards the window. He pushed it open, and a gust of chilly night air wafted in. 

 

"Can you fly?" Stone said. 

 

Gar nodded. 

 

"Go. There's a man in the parking lot waiting for you. He'll take you to a safe place. Now go." 

 

A green hummingbird darted out of the window, and it was shut tightly behind him. He was several stories off of the ground, but he wasn't worried about that. Gar quickly descended through the sky and landed behind a red convertible, panting hard. That was the most movement he had done in a long time. 

 

He heard shouts and peered around the car. A man had been apprehended by four security guards who demanded to know who he was and what his purpose was. The man couldn't seem to give them a straight answer. He spotted the green boy past his adversaries and Gar made out the slightest shake of head that meant he couldn't help then. Garfield backed away and disappeared into the night.


	6. The Doom Patrol

Chapter 6: The Doom Patrol 

 

Cyborg looked deeply perturbed. Starfire had long run out of tears, though she was still very saddened by what she was forced to witness. Robin and Raven, though they wouldn't say so aloud, felt guilty and horribly upset by the way they treated their friend. They never meant what they said, not really, but both of them began to remember things and wondered whether they had hurt him. But Beast Boy never seemed that hurt, and he was always happy. All four Titans were very confused by this behavior. 

 

Mistricker had long forgone the smirk he had worn. He was a criminal, yes, a bit of a sadist, too, but even he felt rather sickened by the things he had seen. He didn't know the boy personally, but from his friends' reactions he wondered whether he hid his true self behind a mask of happy stupidity. At this rate, it seemed likely. 

 

Their thoughts were interrupted by the beginning of a new memory. 

 

Gar was lying on soft, moist dirt, looking up at the blue sky through a green foliage. He was in a tomato garden, and a rather large one at that. The Titans looked around and saw that they were in a farm. Garfield had somewhere acquired an orange T-shirt, but he was covered in dirt. It didn't seem to bother him much. He reached up and plucked another ripe red tomato from a plant, and bit into it. 

 

Then he looked directly at Robin. 

 

No, he looked at something behind Robin. They turned to see what it was. A looming scarecrow grinned at them, straws poking out every which way. The burlap sack from which its head was made had a crude drawing of a silly face. It wore a plaid shirt and old overalls, and a pair of holey work gloves to finish off the look. If anyone had bothered with a hat, it was gone. 

 

His head snapped up as he heard footsteps approach. A farmer came into view with a wheelbarrow, collecting his harvest. Gar dropped his tomato as he changed into a rabbit and scurried away. 

 

"Damn rodents!" exclaimed the farmer. 

 

Garfield didn't look back until he was well away from the man. He looked around himself and up at the sky again. The day was getting later, and he would have to find a place to sleep. But he had found himself in farmland, and that left little nooks and crannies in which to bed down. Through the tall tomato plants Gar noticed a car whiz by. A road. 

 

He followed it for a long while, pushing leaves out of his path, occasionally snagging a tomato or two to stave off hunger. Soon the tomato field gave way to a barren stretch of field, overgrown with grasses. The green boy stopped at the edge of his delicious forest, looking at the road. When no vehicles rumbled by, he stepped out and continued his journey in silence. 

 

At the end of this unused field was yet another field, but at the end of that one Gar could make out the beginnings of a forest. He noticed that he had come across a rice paddy with plenty of irrigation. Frogs croaked out lullabies to one another. The sun was setting. So Garfield morphed into the amphibian himself and hopped in to soak up a drink. Once he had taken his fill, he became a goose and flew to his destination. 

 

Upon reaching the forest, he transformed back into his human form and looked around. He spotted a log and went to it, kneeling to peer into the hollow. It was empty, and just large enough for him to squeeze into, so he climbed in feet-first. Once inside, Gar curled up into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes to sleep. 

 

The imminent darkness was suddenly washed away by a new picture. Gar was following the road again, but this time a dark, looming city could be seen in the distance. 

 

"That's Gotham," Robin stated unnecessarily. Everyone knew Gotham when they saw it. 

 

Young Beast Boy heard a car approaching and changed into a bird. He took to the air and soared the rest of the way, riding the gentle breeze. He reached the outskirt of the huge city and hesitated. Then he looked around and changed into a feline before padding into new territory. 

 

The air smelled heavy with exhaust and mold. His surroundings made him feel tiny, and he had a vague sense of depression. But he pressed on when he caught the scent of food. Gar was hungry, after all. He followed the smell to an alley and leapt on top of the uncovered trash bin. It came from there. He pawed around, searching out his soon-to-be meal. 

 

He was interrupted when an empty beer can was tossed at him. Gar jumped, but stayed in form with a hiss. 

 

"Gross, look at that thing," said a young man with a sneer. "It's green." 

 

"Must have fallen into something toxic," said one of his friends. He took a swig from his own beer and followed it with a long drag from his cheap cigarette. 

 

The third guy grinned wickedly. "Let's light it on fire." He held up his cigarette lighter. 

 

"NO!" Starfire shouted. "You will NOT set my friend aflame!" 

 

"Wait," Robin said, frowning deeply as he stared at the men. "I know them." 

 

Garfield hissed and backed away from the gang, hackles rising. They cornered him, and Gar had nowhere to go but underneath a dumpster. He growled no-so-menacingly at them from his hiding place. 

 

"Give me that paper," said the man with the zippo. "I'll light it and throw it under there." 

 

"Animal cruelty is a crime, you know," said a familiar voice. 

 

The three men whipped around in surprise, then cursed loudly. "It's Robin!" 

 

Gar was hunched underneath the dumpster still, wary of the both his assailants and the newcomer. 

 

The Titans minus Robin gaped. 

 

Past Robin wore the same flashy outfit, but he was shorter, and his jet black hair wasn't so spiky. He crossed his arms, and looked much too intimidating for a fourteen year old boy. Now it was the three men who were cornered. 

 

"Maybe," said younger Robin, "I won't arrest you, if you apologize and swear to never even think about hurting innocent creatures." 

 

"Sorry," they said in unison. "We swear, yeah." 

 

"B--Batman isn't 'round, is he?" one asked nervously. 

 

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Should I call him?" 

 

"NO!" 

 

"Go, then," Robin shrugged. "Before I change my mind." 

 

They moved past the teen cautiously, then turned tail and ran without looking back. 

 

Young Robin smirked and shook his head. "Guys like that are pathetic." Then he looked to the dumpster and approached it. He got onto his knees and looked under it to see the glowing eyes of a cat. 

 

"Hey there, kitty," he said in a kind voice. "I won't hurt you, promise." 

 

Gar didn't move. 

 

"Hungry?" Robin reached into the bag he had been carrying with him and pulled out a burger. He unwrapped it and held it out, trying to lure the cat into the open. 

 

Gar didn't move. 

 

"Robin," Batman's voice said. Robin rolled his eyes and pulled out his bat-shaped communicator. 

 

"Robin here." 

 

"Get back to the cave, we've got a lead on the Joker." 

 

"Yes, sir," he replied, then stuffed the device back into his belt. Then he turned back to the cat, his unknowingly future teammate. Robin quickly placed the paper down on the ground just outside the dumpster, then the burger on top of it. "Still for you, buddy." And then he was gone. 

 

A moment later, a green cat wriggled out from its hiding place, looking around warily. When he was certain he was alone, Garfield resumed human shape and looked down at the burger. He picked it up and sniffed it, then took a tentative bite. Finding it edible, Garfield proceeded to chow down greedily, ears perked for any sound. 

 

A new memory abruptly started, and Gar was obviously far from Gotham. He soared freely through the sky, a strong wind pressing at him from all sides. Below him was a community of white houses with red shingled roofs and chimneys. Several children could be seen playing in their fenced-off yards or in the streets, where shiny new cars were bountiful. 

 

Gar began to lose altitude because his arms were tiring. He spotted what a promising landing place: a house that seemed empty, and no one around to see a green bird resting atop a roof. He lighted on the chimney, flapping his wings to slow his descent. But he overshot and clipped his wing on the TV antennae, resulting in a tumble down the chute. Luckily for him, he had managed to keep form and landed in a soft pile of ashes, blackening his feathers. 

 

"Relax, boys," said a woman's voice. "It's just a little bird. I'll take care of it." 

 

Gar chirped uneasily as he saw the woman near him with outstretched hands. He hopped back, and flitted his wings a bit, but she kept coming. He couldn't escape from this one. 

 

A ferocious dog leapt out of the fireplace, snapping its sharp teeth. The woman jumped back with an gasp. Three other figures rose the couch behind her, the nearest one pulled her back. 

 

"Rita! Are you okay?" 

 

"I’m fine," she replied. "It's a shapeshifter." 

 

Garfield growled, keeping the wary crime fighters back. He looked around for an escape, and spotted the window to his left. He began to inch towards it. The dog was suddenly rushed by a hulking orange man, who grabbed him and threw him across the room. He collided with the opposite wall and fell behind the couch. He reverted to human form with a stunned look. That man wasn't a man at all! 

 

In the boy's place was a tiger, growling deep in its chest. But he was surrounded by Robotman, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, and Mento. Despite the terror he felt, Gar knew his only way out was to fight. 

 

"Who are you?" Mento demanded. "Show your true form, shapeshifter!" 

 

A roar in reply. 

 

"Surrender yourself," Elasti-Girl insisted. "This can only end badly for you, so let's take the easy way out." 

 

Gar studied his adversaries. There was the robot who had first attacked, then the woman who had tried to catch him, and two more men. One had a strange helmet on, protecting his head, while the other was covered in bandages. The boy reasoned that since the bandaged man was wounded, he would be the easiest and quickest to take out. He was also the one barring the way to the window. But when he attacked, Negative Man easily stepped aside. Gar didn't waste a moment in making a break for his escape route. 

 

A very large hand wrapped around his midsection, trapping him. Gar looked back in surprise to see that the woman had enlarged to over thrice her size. He morphed into a mouse, effectively escaping before she could adapt and close her hand. Then a shadow was on him, and he was caught again. The shadow tossed the mouse to the robot, who clasped it in his hands. The shadow returned to Negative Man's body. 

 

Then there was an elephant in the room, quite literally. Cliff was crushed into the wall, though his metal body was unharmed. Larry, Rita, and Steve jumped out of the way as the rampaging creature barreled towards them with a deafening trumpet. 

 

Steve raised his first two fingers to his temple and focused on the green shapeshifter. The elephant staggered, then fell to its knees. A split second later, a cheetah made a final, desperate move for the tantalizingly close window. Just as he reached it, Cliff grabbed its tail and yanked back, then slammed the creature against the wall hard. Everything went black. 

 

When Gar woke, he was lying on a bed. Looking down at him was Mento. 

 

"Do not try to escape, shapeshifter," he said. 

 

Gar snarled at him and tried to sit up, only to discover that he was strapped down. He began to panic. 

 

"We will not harm you," Mento said, holding up a hand. Gar glared at him. "Tell us your name. And who you work for." 

 

The green boy did not reply. His distrusting eyes never strayed from Mento's. 

 

"If you answer my questions, we will let you go." 

 

"Garfield," came an immediate answer. 

 

Mento blinked. If he was surprised, he hid it well. "Who do you work for, Garfield?" 

 

"No work." 

 

"You don't work for anyone? Then why did you attack us?" 

 

"I did not!" Gar growled. "I fall, you fight!" 

 

The man studied the angry boy for a moment. 

 

"Let go," said Garfield. 

 

"Not until we have finished the interrogation," Mento replied. "Where are you from?" 

 

He received a growl. "Let go." 

 

"Are you some kind of government experiment? Did you escape from a lab?" 

 

"Let go, let go!" Gar began to struggled in his bonds. Then he suddenly remembered his powers and changed into a fly. Or, at least, he attempted to. He remained human. 

 

"This room prevents anyone from using their abilities," Mento explained when Gar looked frightened. "Answer my questions and I will release you." 

 

Angry tears were in Garfield's eyes, but they didn't spill. "Escape," he whispered. "Hurt, tests, I fly far from them." 

 

"What can you do? Your abilities." 

 

"Change into all animals," Gar replied. 

 

Mento nodded. "How did you escape?" 

 

"Stone." 

 

Mento raised an eyebrow. "Someone helped you?" 

 

Garfield nodded curtly, scowling. "Done?" 

 

"No. How old are you?" 

 

"Maybe ten." 

 

"Hmph. What is your purpose?" 

 

Gar appeared to be lost in translation. "Purple?" 

 

"No, why were you created?" Mento rephrased his question. 

 

"To live." 

 

The man took another moment to study the child, who stared right back. If the boy was frightened, he hid it behind a mask of anger. This boy was so different from the Beast Boy the Titans knew. They found it very unsettling to see him like this. 

 

"My last question," said Mento finally, "is a choice. Think carefully. We will return you to the lab you came from--" Gar tensed. "--or, you will stay here and become a part of this team. You will not leave here freely. If you came from a laboratory, you are dangerous to the public. If you do not wish to return there, you will help us fight to protect the world." 

 

Garfield stared at him with wide eyes, chest heaving. "Not back to Sam!" he cried. "I don't go back, I don't go back!" 

 

"Then you'll stay," Mento said, not really a question. 

 

Despite his obvious fear, Gar nodded vigorously. "I stay," he agreed, a tear sliding down his cheek. 

 

In the next memory, Gar was seated on the couch beside Robotman, whose eyes were glued to the television screen. Larry was at the other end of the couch, flipping through the channels with the remote. The green boy was staring at the window with dead eyes. 

 

"Garfield?" said Rita as she approached. His ear twitched and he reluctantly looked at her. "Why don't you come with me? We'll read a story." 

 

Gar was aware of Larry and Cliff watching him. A low drone of a news anchor's voice came from the television. After a moment of thought, Gar nodded and went with Rita into the dining room, where several books had already been laid out. 

 

"Is there one you'd like to read?" 

 

Gar looked at them. They were all in English, and none were picture books. He shrugged and selected one at random. It was obvious to everyone that Rita was going to try to get the boy to read for himself. She strongly believed that an education would help him in his speaking and comprehension skills, and insisted on it despite the fact that he was very reluctant to do it. 

 

"Ah, Charlotte's Web," Rita said. "One of my favorites. Let's see, here's what it's about: The tale of how a little girl named Fern, with the help of a friendly spider, saved her pig Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat little pigs. This is a story of the magic of childhood on the farm. Children will be entranced with Charlotte the spider, Wilbur the pig, and Fern, the little girl who understood their language. Doesn't that sound nice?" 

 

Gar was utterly unimpressed. 

 

"Well, it couldn't hurt to read a bit, right, Garfield?" Rita said in an almost apologetic tone. "Reading is fun!" 

 

"Inglês é estúpido," he muttered under his breath as he opened the book to the first page. 

 

Suddenly they were standing in a training room, at the beginning of an obstacle. The house in which the Doom Patrol lived must have extended a great ways underground for the room to be so large. Gar studied his surroundings, then turned as Mento started speaking. 

 

"Complete the obstacle course as quickly and efficiently as you can, Beast Boy," he said. The Titans noted that they had given him his hero alias. "Try to beat your record again." 

 

Beast Boy merely looked at Mento for a long, hard moment. A flicker of the goofy Beast Boy the Titans knew crossed his face as he pulled himself into a straight-postured military position and saluted his leader. "Yes, sir!" he chirped cheerfully before his face fell into a sneer. Mento clenched his jaw at the boy's cheekiness, and pressed the button to begin the course. 

 

Gar morphed into a T-Rex and charged into the obstacles. His thick dinosaur hide protected him from the rubber pellets being shot at him, and his huge feet crushed any droids that attacked him. 

 

"Beast Boy!" Mento said in a warning tone. 

 

He was unheeded as Beast Boy threw his body into both walls of descending weapons, breaking them before they could attack. By the time he was finished, there was nothing left of the training room but the destroyed remnants of weapons and robots. Mento stood by the control panel, seething. Gar met his eyes. 

 

"I beat my record, sir," he said. Then he suddenly cried out in pain, putting his hands on his head. Mento watched him writhe for a moment, then blinked and stopped the pain. Garfield was on his knees, breathing hard. 

 

"Next time, you will do it correctly," Mento said. "A real hero does everything right, and follows his leader's orders, Beast Boy." He left Gar alone in the wrecked training room. 

 

Gar looked over his shoulder as Mento left with a hurt expression. "I don't want to be a hero." 

 

The memory cut off, and a new one began. 

 

Rita was crying quietly at the dining table, a negative pregnancy test in her hand. Gar was standing just behind the doorway, looking in with a sad expression. He glanced over his shoulder, and when he spotted no one, he tentatively entered the room. 

 

She heard him and turned. "Oh, Garfield," she said, giving him a small smile and quickly wiping her eyes. "What are you doing up? It's late." 

 

He silently went to her and wrapped his arms around her, much to her surprise. "Don't cry, mom," he said. 

 

Rita's breath hitched in her chest, and her tears dried up in shock. "Did you just call me..." she trailed off, her face crumpling with a sudden onslaught of happy sobs. She returned his hug as though it was the last she would ever see of him. 

 

Next memory. 

 

"It's cannibalism, Beast Boy," Mento was saying. Gar looked at him stonily, then lowered his gaze to the blob of white in front of him. "You shouldn't eat meat. You turn into all of those animals. You're eating your own kind, and it's wrong." 

 

"Then you're eating me," Beast Boy retorted, poking the tofu with a fork. "If I'm eating my own kind, then we're delicious." 

 

Mento shook his head. "Listen, you can go vegetarian, or you can go vegan. Your choice. This tofu is the only 'meat' you'll be getting as long as you're here." 

 

"It's not real meat," Garfield insisted. "You eat it and then tell me it's as delicious as me." 

 

"This conversation is over, Beast Boy," Mento stood from his place at the head of the table. "I won't take the chance that meat will drive you bloodthirsty. You could lose the distinction between animal and human flesh, and then we'll have a monster on our hands. For all we know, that was why you were created." 

 

Gar raised an eyebrow as Mento left. Then he glared at the tofu for a long while before venturing a bite. He shuddered as he swallowed, looking at the meat substitute with disgust. He forced another bite, and then another, until it was all gone. "Delicious," he muttered unenthusiastically. He would grow accustomed to the taste. 

 

Cliff, Larry, and Gar were sitting on the couch again. This time the two men were trash-talking and rapidly pressing buttons on their game controllers. Garfield watched them play, noting how each button made the on-screen characters do a specific move. Cliff growled when he lost, and the plastic remote shattered between his hands. 

 

"That's the third one this month, Cliff," Larry said. "Hey, Garfield, wanna play?" 

 

Cliff grumbled under his breath and got up to retrieve a new controller from a box underneath the movie shelf. Gar hesitated, but then nodded, and Larry handed his remote to the boy. Robotman plugged in the new controller and sat down again, ready for action. 

 

The game began, and Cliff's character attacked. Gar panicked and jerked the controller to the side without pressing anything. The robot gave the boy a sidelong look. "You hafta push a button there, kiddo." 

 

"Mm-hm. Again." Garfield nodded and looked determined to learn how to play the game. By the end of the hour, the boy had mastered the controls, and was unbeatable. Even his banter between whomever he was playing was more insulting. For the first time since he was forced to join the team, Gar was laughing and having fun. 

 

A new memory abruptly began. 

 

The Doom Patrol were fighting a horde of assailing androids. The adults were holding their own, able to take on several at once. They had greater endurance than Beast Boy, who was quickly losing his edge. Transforming into larger animals took more energy, but they were also more effective against durable enemies. But he couldn't keep up, and ended up being knocked down. 

 

He curled into a ball and put his hands over his head, trying unsuccessfully to block the blows. Suddenly, the robots attacking him shorted out and fell to the ground. Mento appeared and pulled Gar up by the arm, his eyes giving the youngest member a once-over. Then he nodded as though satisfied Beast Boy hadn't been pulverized and went back into the fray. 

 

They were in the medical bay. Cliff was standing near the window while Rita and Steve took up two of the beds. Larry was in a third bed, seemingly asleep. Rita's arm was heavily bandaged, and her leg was propped up on a pillow. She weakly attempted to get Steve's attention throughout his angry tirade against Beast Boy, who stood near the door with a stoic expression. Beast Boy had aged approximately three years. 

 

"I specifically gave you an order, Beast Boy," Mento said harshly. "Because of you, the Brootherhood of Evil got away! I told you to leave us and stop them, but you stupidly came back for us. What's the good of a hero if he doesn't understand that stopping villains are more important than anything? You let them get away, and now they have another chance at world domination. Think of all the people who are going to get hurt, Beast Boy!" 

 

"I'm sorry," Beast Boy offered quietly. "But we can't change it now, it's--" 

 

"Already done," Mento finished. "I know. But it doesn't change that you deliberately disobeyed your leader, Beast Boy. I should put you off the team for that." 

 

"Steve," Rita said urgently. 

 

He ignored her. "And this is most definitely not the first time you've done this. You constantly disobey me and your other superiors on this team. You're a disgrace to everything we've taught you." 

 

"You would have died," Beast Boy argued. "If I hadn't come back, you wouldn't even be breathing." 

 

"And the Brotherhood of Evil would be defeated," Mento snapped. 

 

"Steve!" Rita shouted suddenly. 

 

Mento and Beast Boy glared at one another for a long moment. 

 

"Leave," Mento said to Beast Boy finally. "If you hate it here so much, if you find it so difficult to listen to simple orders, you're more than welcome to disappear." 

 

"Steve, no," Cliff said. It was the first time he'd spoken throughout the entire altercation. 

 

Beast Boy spun on his heels and left his team to tend to their battle wounds, and the memory darkened.


	7. The Teen Titans

Chapter 7: The Teen Titans 

 

"I knew there was a reason I really hate the Doom Patrol," Cyborg frowned. 

 

Robin couldn't but to draw similarities between himself and Mento. The heavy guilt in the pit of his stomach only expanded. The others were silent, lost in their own thoughts. 

 

Beast Boy was wandering aimlessly through a forest. The sun was setting, and the trees were growing darker and more eerie. He didn't seem to be aware of anything, though he easily maneuvered through the domain. He spotted something in the leaves ahead and picked it up. It was an abandoned hunting knife. 

 

After a moment of scrutiny, Beast Boy sat down where he was and worked to scratch away the dirt and rust. There was a thoughtful expression on his face all the while, and it remained there as he stared at the cleaned knife in his lap. The sun was lowering quickly below the horizon, and soon it would be total night. Beast Boy raised his eyes to the sky, tilting his head back slightly. His lips moved in silence, though they formed foreign words. Once again, the Titans were reminded of Raven. 

 

Then Beast Boy raised the knife and put the tip to his throat. 

 

All four of his friends looked on in horror, holding their breaths. He wouldn't do it. No way. 

 

The knife sliced easily through his flesh, and he slowly dragged it to the right with a determined wince. Blood squirted from his self-inflicted wound, spilling down the chest of his uniform. A few centimeters more and the blade would pierce his jugular, and he would bleed to death alone. 

 

But then he stopped suddenly, ears perked back. A girl had cried out behind him. Beast Boy pressed a gloveless hand to his open wound to slow the bleeding and peered around the tree. 

 

A very familiar figure was on her knees, arms outstretched toward a black portal. "Arella!" she cried. "Please, don't leave me! I'm scared! Don't leave me!" But the portal shrank and closed, leaving the blue-cloaked girl in the dark forest. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. "Arella, Arella," she repeated as she rocked herself back and forth. Black magic traveled up several tree trunks but did no damage. 

 

Beast Boy watched her sadly for a moment, then dropped his knife. He started to move forward, but then seemed to think better of it and morphed into a bird. Its feathers were dark enough to be mistaken for black in the night. He flapped his wings and fluttered to the girl. 

 

She gasped and whipped around when she heard him, eyes glowing white as her hand was encased with a similar magic. Then her magic faded as she realized it was just a bird, revealing tear-streaked cheeks and immensely sad amethyst eyes. 

 

"Oh," she said, her voice taking on an undertone of her normal one. "It's a raven. What are you do...You're hurt." She noticed the blood soaking its neck and chest and moved toward the bird slowly. "What happened? Who would hurt such a beautiful bird like you?" 

 

Beast Boy cocked his head as he listened to her, and hesitantly allowed her to touch him. Her gentle hand eased a flow of magic into his wound, sealing it up and cleaning his feathers. He was frozen in surprise. 

 

"Better?" Raven asked, giving him a small smile of kindness. 

 

Beast Boy cawed loudly and spread his wings, then took off. He didn't go far, though. Only a few feet away was an apple tree, which yielded several small fruit. He grabbed one in his talons and then twisted in mid-air to return to the girl. Raven watched him incredulously as he set it before her and then nudged it forward with his beak. 

 

"Thank you," she whispered, taking it gingerly. She bit into it, and a bit of juice ran down her chin. "It's good," she mumbled. 

 

Beast Boy ambled to her side and sat down, folding his wings tightly against himself. 

 

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she ate. She seemed a bit confused, but also rather flattered that a bird would come to comfort her. Raven finished the apple and set it on the ground. 

 

"Everyone tells me it's not my fault, you know," Raven said suddenly. She pulled her robe tighter around herself. Beast Boy cocked his head. "It's not like I asked to be born. I just was. But I'm cursed because of my father. He's really terrible. I, I'm scared of him. 

 

"Everyone is afraid of me. They think I'm a monster, or that I'm going to turn into one. I guess that's true. But I always feel lonely. I hate it. It's not fair," she said bitterly. 

 

Beast Boy cawed softly. 

 

"Maybe I can find a city or something," she wondered. She leaned back until she was lying down, looking up at the stars. "Maybe there's someone would be my friend. But probably not. Everyone hates me." Raven thought for a moment. "Except you. But you're a raven." She looked at him, and he looked back. "Good night, raven." 

 

Then she closed her eyes, and the memory ended. 

 

The shocked Titans turned to Raven, who looked utterly mortified. Her cheeks took on a red tinge, and she pulled her hood down to obscure her face. "I didn't know," she mumbled. 

 

The next memory began with sunlight. The Titans were looking down at a sleeping Raven. After a moment they realized that Beast Boy was crouched in a tree, the thick green foliage concealing him. The past Raven woke and stretched, then seemed to remember where she was as she looked around. For a moment she seemed close to tears, but then saw three apples laid beside her. 

 

She searched her surroundings for the raven who had helped her, but didn't see him. Raven picked up one of the fruits and bit into it. It wasn't until after she had eaten her fill that the girl noticed an arrow made of sticks pointing forward. Her eyes followed the direction and stopped on another similar arrow. 

 

Raven cautiously moved forward and followed them, keeping an eye out for strangers. Beast Boy stayed still and watched her to make sure she would get out of the forest safely. Each arrow pointed ahead to another arrow a short distance. She was guided around trees and steep steps, and the leaves were cleared away in several places to reveal upraised roots that she otherwise might have tripped over. When she didn't come across any danger, Raven relaxed and trusted the arrows. 

 

Beast Boy followed swiftly and silently, occasionally morphing into a green squirrel or bird to move from tree to tree, all the while remaining hidden. An hour of walking later, Raven saw the end of the trees and the last arrow. She took a step out of the forest and looked around. On the horizon was Jump City, and beyond that was the sea. 

 

Raven looked over her shoulder at the forest, her eyes scanning it. Then she looked up at where Beast Boy was perched and grinned broadly. "Thanks, raven," she said. Then she sank into a portal to appear elsewhere in the city. 

 

"This is the day," Raven said, "we all met." 

 

As if on cue, a new memory cut in. A furious Starfire demolished a building and then turned on another, flipping a car in the process. Beast Boy sat up from the wreckage, dazed. He shook his head and then looked to where Starfire had just been, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

 

"Yeesh," he said under his breath. 

 

Suddenly the Titans' eyes snapped open, and they were back in the warehouse. Mistricker sat up and rubbed his eyes underneath his sunshades as though he had just woken from a nap. Beast Boy was still lying in front of Robin, who was still wrapped in the cables. The girls and Cyborg were still stuck to the floor. They were in the present again. 

 

Mistricker looked at his device in his hand. "I suppose I'll have to come back another day," he said as he stood and brushed himself off. "The battery is drained, and my charger is back in my home, the location of which I will not be disclosing. I'm sure once Beastie wakes up, he'll be more than happy to get you out of your predicaments. Later." The villain casually made his way out of the warehouse, device tucked under his arm. He ignored the demands and insults of the Titans, and made a quick getaway. 

 

"Beast Boy," Robin said, trying to rouse his green friend. "Beast Boy!" 

 

Beast Boy moaned softly and stirred to put a hand on his head. "What happened?" he slurred. 

 

"I need your help, Beast Boy," Robin said. "Can you get me out of this?" 

 

Bleary green eyes met his, and then there was a gorilla taking hold of the cables. Like before, they snapped easily under the primate's strain. 

 

"Thank you." Robin pushed himself to his feet and put a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder as he reverted to his human form and swayed. "You should sit down, I'll take care of the rest." 

 

"What happened to the bad guy?" Beast Boy asked. He was obviously disoriented, which worried the rest of the Titans. Had the device's intrusion scrambled his brains? 

 

"You scared him off," Cyborg said from his place across the room. 

 

"He got away?" 

 

Robin hesitated. "Yeah, but that's okay." He finished as he walked over to his sticky teammates, "None of us were able to catch him." 

 

Beast Boy was silent. He looked exhausted and confused. 

 

Robin stopped at the edge of the mess, wondering what to do. "Any ideas?" he asked. 

 

"My sensors analyzed the properties of the substance," Cyborg said seriously. "It seems it can be dissolved in water, but you'll need a heck of a lot of it." 

 

Raven mumbled because her lips were sealed shut, but when she got Robin's attention she moved her eyes upward. 

 

"A pipe," Robin said. He pulled a birdarang out of his belt and attached an exploding disk to it. He hit his mark, and the pipe burst open and rained down stale water. Raven used her powers to redirect and concentrate the water onto herself and the others, quickly freeing them. 

 

"Friend Beast Boy!" Starfire cried. She whizzed over to him as soon as she could move and threw her arms around him. Beast Boy tensed, but then looked surprised when he wasn't crushed, and then bewildered when she sobbed into his shoulder. 

 

"Uh, Star?" he uttered, putting a tentative hand on her back. "Did I miss anything?" 

 

"What's the last thing you remember?" Raven asked cautiously. 

 

"Uh, the bad guy was about to get Robin with some freaky metal thing," Beast Boy replied. "So, uh, I moved in the way. You know, 'cause getting in the way is sort of my thing." He laughed nervously. 

 

"Let's go back to the tower," Robin said. 

 

"But what about the bad guy?" Beast Boy questioned. 

 

"He doesn't matter," Robin waved him off. "I'll meet you guys back there." 

 

Raven and Cyborg shared a glance. 

 

"Well," Cyborg said. "Let's get to the T-car, then." 

 

 

Robin was waiting in the common room when the others arrived back at the tower. It was night already, and Jump City was lit brightly, blotting out most of the stars in the inky sky. 

 

"Dudes," Beast Boy said in an annoyed tone as he was ushered into the room, "why aren't you guys saying anything? What's up, okay?" 

 

"Beast Boy," Robin stood. "Come sit." 

 

He groaned in frustration and jumped over the back of the couch. The green changeling folded his arms and scowled. "Now can we please tell me what's going on?" 

 

"Yes," Robin said, standing in front of him. "I'm sorry." 

 

"Huh?" Beast Boy blinked, then shook his head. "Uh, I don't think I heard you right, dude..." 

 

"You did," he replied. "I'm sorry. That fight earlier, I didn't mean what I said. I was just," he searched for the word as Beast Boy stared at him. 

 

"Frustrated," Beast Boy said. Robin nodded. "Tired, cranky, irritated." 

 

"Yeah," Robin agreed. "I just thought I'd get that out of the way before we tell you this." 

 

Beast Boy frowned in anticipation. 

 

"We have witnessed the memories of your past," Starfire blurted, unable to contain herself. She floated next to Robin and looked at Beast Boy with huge eyes. "We are sorry if we have done the violating of your trust, but we could not get out once we were inside." 

 

"Man," Cyborg said, looking sad, "you could have--I would have--we..." He trailed off, unable to voice his thoughts. 

 

Raven merely looked at Beast Boy. He wasn't surprised, but rather seemed disappointing. She assumed that meant he did remember what happened, but he was hoping that they didn't, or at least wouldn't bring it up. 

 

"I understand if you don't want to talk about it," Robin interjected. "But I do feel that it's important that you know that we're here for you, Beast Boy." 

 

"How much did you see?" Beast Boy asked. 

 

"Uh," Cyborg stammered. "A lot, actually. I think we saw your worst memories. There weren't too many happy ones." 

 

Beast Boy nodded seriously, then his face lit up in a goofy smile. "Well, now I don't have to talk about it, 'cause you guys have already seen it!" 

 

"Another thing," Raven interrupted, and Beast Boy turned his grin towards her. "Are you just pretending?" 

 

"Huh?" 

 

"Are you pretending," she elaborated, "to be happy, to not understand things, to love tofu? Things like that?" 

 

Beast Boy smiled. "I'm happy with you guys. I don't know a lot about a lot of things. Tofu is great, Raven, you should try some!" 

 

The other Titans simply looked sadly at him. 

 

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire said gently, "you do not have to hide from us. We are friends no matter what. Even if you are the unhappy we will stand by you." 

 

"Thanks, Star," Beast Boy laughed and stood. "But I'm totally okay! Who's hungry? I've got tofu waffles." 

 

Robin lashed out and grabbed Beast Boy as he passed, much to everyone's surprise. Before the youngest member could say anything more, he was pulled into Robin's arms in a tight hug. A second later, Starfire wrapped her arms around the two boys. Raven and Cyborg couldn't resist joining in. 

 

After the initial shock of his emotionally-starved leader embracing him, and the realization that the others had added their own warmth to the circle, tears finally fell from Beast Boy's eyes. "I'm not okay," he whimpered softly, and his friends' arms tightened around him. They stayed like that for a long while, until Beast Boy's tears had run dry. 

 

The older Titans weren't entirely sure how to help him, but they knew that they would find a way. When it came to their own, they would go to the ends of the world to save them, and that was especially true for their little jokester. 

 

"You know," Raven said, "when I was younger, I was raised by the monks of Azarath. I was only allowed to see Arella...I mean, my mother, every once in a while. It was to protect her mental well-being, since I wasn't conceived under the...best of terms. I was lonely, so I buried myself in stories, fairy tales. They also distracted me from my powers. I guess the habit just stuck." She shrugged awkwardly. 

 

Beast Boy nodded in acknowledgement and rubbed his eyes. He kept his head lowered. 

 

"One day I was at S.T.A.R. Labs, where my dad worked," Cyborg said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I mean, you already know he worked there, so...ahem. Well, my mom went in first 'cause I forgot something in the car. When I went in, she...There was..." He took a deep breath. "A weird, freaky blob monster got my mom and...dis--It came after me next. I'd never felt such pain, man. It dissolved whatever it touched, flesh and bone included. 

 

"My old man ran in with some kind of freeze ray and sprayed it all over the blob creature and threw it into some kind of portal. That's the last I remember before I woke up like this." 

 

The Titans looked quite amazed at this new discovery, but didn't comment on it. 

 

"You have met my sister, Blackfire," Starfire began. "But you have not met my younger brother, Wildfire." The Titans stared at her. 

 

"Please tell me he isn't evil, too," Beast Boy sighed, a flicker of his comical personality suddenly showing. 

 

Starfire gave a small smile. "No...At least, I do not believe he is. You see, when the Gordanians invaded Tamaran five years ago, Wildfire was sent away to a safe part of the galaxy to preserve the royal bloodline. He is the crown prince of my world. Even I do not know his whereabouts, or whether he is still alive." 

 

Beast Boy lowered his eyes sadly. "Sorry to hear that...All of you," he added to include Raven and Cyborg. 

 

Robin looked deep in thought. Cyborg gave him a meaningful look, which Robin ignored. "That just leaves me, then," he slowly. "All right. I grew up in a circus." 

 

The Titans stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to laugh. When he didn't they did--even Beast Boy. 

 

"What?" Robin demanded. 

 

"A circus?" Cyborg repeated. "No wonder you half dress as a clown!" 

 

Robin's cheeks flushed red. "My parents and I," he said through slightly gritted teeth, "were the Flying Graysons." 

 

Cyborg immediately sobered up while Raven and Starfire still wore amused smiles. Beast Boy tried to suppress his giggles. 

 

"The trapeze wires were sabotaged," Robin continued. "Halfway through their act, the wires snapped, and my parents fell to their deaths." 

 

Now no one was smiling. 

 

Beast Boy looked at his shoes, then raised his eyes to Robin's mask. "Does that mean you're Richard?" 

 

Robin did a double-take. "How did you...?" 

 

The green boy cracked a grin. "Dude, you were in a traveling circus. You came to Africa once, and my parents took us out to the city to see you guys. It was awesome!" 

 

When his shock wore off, Robin chuckled a bit. Starfire suddenly began to enthuse about several Tamaranean dishes she felt were right for the occasion, and the Titans desperately tried to convince her that they were all tired and should get some rest. She conceded only when she realized she did not have all the necessary ingredients, much to her friends' relief. Beast Boy seemed much more at ease than usual. Finally, they all bid one another good night and left for their own rooms to dream of a better tomorrow. 

 

 

Fin.


End file.
